Efficacy of the Airtraq® laryngoscope with a fiberoptic bronchoscope compared with that of Airtraq® alone for tracheal intubation: a manikin study

Purpose Successful intubation using the Airtraq ® requires optimal positioning of the glottis in the middle of the viewfinder. If the glottic view cannot be optimized, some glottic manipulation is essential for the Airtraq-assisted successful intubation. We evaluated the efficacy of the combined use of the Airtraq and a fiberoptic bronchoscope (FOB) compared with that of the Airtraq alone for tracheal intubation in simulated airway scenarios. Methods Eight anesthesia providers (four staff and four residents) were enrolled in this study. The participants intubated the trachea of the ALS Simulator manikin in five tongue edema scenarios simulating modified Cormack–Lehane grade 1, 2a, 2b, 3, and 4 views and one cervical immobilization scenario. Results No significant difference in the rate of successful intubation was detected between the combined use and the use of Airtraq alone in all scenarios. However, the duration of intubation attempts with the combined use was significantly shorter in difficult laryngoscopy scenarios (Cormack–Lehane grade 2b–4) ( P