Comparison of the Laryngeal Mask Airways: Laryngeal Mask Airway-classic and Laryngeal Mask Airway-proseal in Children

In the past 25 years with the development of various supraglottic airway devices, the armamentarium for airway management has increased. In our study, the laryngeal mask airway (LMA)-ProSeal is compared with the LMA-Classic with respect to as follows: (a) Ease of insertion and number of insertion attempts, (b) Device positional stability and possible oropharyngeal leak, (c) Airway trauma, and (d) Hemodynamic changes; in children aged 3-15 years undergoing elective surgery under general anesthesia, hypothesizing that these would be different. Sixty consecutive American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status Classes I and II children aged 3-15 years and weighing 5-45 kg undergoing elective surgery in the supine position were randomized for airway management with the LMA-Classic or LMA-ProSeal. Size of the LMA used in both LMA-Classic and LMA-ProSeal was 1.5, 2, and 2.5 and was statistically nonsignificant. There was no difference between LMA-Classic and LMA-ProSeal with regard to ease of insertion, number of attempts for insertion, device positional stability, airway trauma and hemodynamic changes. The complications of usage of the LMA are minimal and similar in both the devices. The LMA-ProSeal has advantages over LMA-classic such as the placement of gastric tube, adequate ventilation, and oxygenation without any gastric distension.