Macintosh or Miller Laryngoscope Blades for Infants?

R. Eleanor Anderson, MD Similar laryngeal views were achieved with both devices. The straight Miller laryngoscope blade is traditionally recommended for intubation in infants, due to the large size and flexibility of the infant epiglottis. However, the Miller and Macintosh blades have not been systematically compared in young children. In a prospective,... Read more..

Video vs. Direct Laryngoscopy in Patients with Cervical Spine Immobilization

R. Eleanor Anderson, MD, Daniel J. Pallin, MD, MPH Better laryngoscopic views with video laryngoscopy do not equal intubation success. Intubating a trauma patient with cervical spine immobilization can be difficult. Prior studies in this population have shown that video laryngoscopy improves laryngoscopic view and reduces intubation difficulty (NEJM JW Emerg Med... Read more..

The Congenital Difficult Airway in Pediatrics – Anesthesiology News Guide to Airway Management, August 2014

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Disposable Laryngoscope Blades and Reusable Handles: What Combination Maximizes Light Intensity?

R. Eleanor Anderson, MD, Ron M. Walls, MD, FRCPC, FAAEM Although all disposable blades delivered more than 500 lux with any handle, a reusable blade was best.   Disposable laryngoscope blades increasingly are used because of infection concerns and convenience. Clinical studies of light intensity through disposable blades have offered conflicting results and... Read more..

Comparing the i-gel to First- and Second-Generation LMAs

R. Eleanor Anderson, MD, Ron M. Walls, MD, FRCPC, FAAEM Rates of successful insertion did not differ, but the i-gel and second-generation LMAs performed best. Researchers compared performance of the i-gel and the laryngeal mask airway (LMA) in a meta-analysis of randomized, controlled trials involving patients undergoing elective surgery. The i-gel was... Read more..

Physician-Led Prehospital Airway Management in Trauma

R. Eleanor Anderson, MD, Ron M. Walls, MD, FRCPC, FAAEM   Intubation was successful in 99% of patients, and all surgical airways were successful in this large retrospective series.   To assess airway management of trauma patients in a physician-led prehospital system in England, researchers conducted a retrospective database review of 7256... Read more..