The introduction into clinical practice of new tools for intubation as videolaringoscopia has dramatically improved the success rate of intubation and the work of anesthesiologists in what is considered the most delicate maneuver. Nevertheless intubation difficulties may also be encountered with good anatomical visualization of glottic structures in videolaringoscopia. To overcome the obstacles that may occur both in a difficult provided intubation such as those unexpected, associated endotracheal introducer able to facilitate the passage of the endotracheal tube through the vocal cords into the trachea may be useful. We report 4 cases of difficult intubation planned and unplanned and completed successfully using the GlideScope videolaryngoscope associated with endotracheal Frova introducer. 1. Introduction Difficult airway management is a major task for anesthesiologists [1, 2]. Failure in airway management indeed, is a major cause of mortality and morbidity in the setting of anesthesiology and intensive care units [3, 4]. The GlideScope (GS) is a videolaryngoscope (VLS), the last generation of intubation devices available in clinical practice in the last decade. GS provides an indirect airway view, improves the assessment of Cormack-Lehane score, and does not require a specific training [5, 6]. Recent studies underline the advantages of VLS in the management of predicted difficult airway [7, 8] as well as prehospital emergencies [9]. Unfortunately, the direct laryngeal view provided by VLS does not always assure the correct insertion of endotracheal tube (ETT), due to the 60-degree angle in the distal portion of GS blade, that tends to hamper the passage of the ETT from oropharynx to trachea. To facilitate the placement of the ETT, a rigid stylet shaped with the same angle as the blade, the GlideRite stylet (GRs), has been made up. Recently, the most suitable characteristics of the introducer have been largely debated: gum elastic bougie, rigid stylet, malleable stylet, and several experiences have been published with different endotracheal introducer utilized in combination with VLS to facilitate intubation maneuver [10–14]. We report our clinical experience in 4 patients, three characterized by potential and one by unexpected difficult intubation, in whom videolaryngo-GlideScope (VLGS) combined with Frova bougie has been used to facilitate endotracheal intubation. 2. Case??1 A 61-year-old woman (BMI: 22.6?kg/m2) was urgently admitted to the anesthesiological evaluation before undergoing the intervention of spinal decompression of cervical C3–C6
References
[1]
R. A. Caplan, K. L. Posner, R. J. Ward, and F. W. Cheney, “Adverse respiratory events in anesthesia: a closed claims analysis,” Anesthesiology, vol. 72, no. 5, pp. 828–833, 1990.
[2]
E. T. Crosby, R. M. Cooper, M. J. Douglas, et al., “The unanticipated difficult airway with recommendations for management,” Canadian Journal of Anesthesia, vol. 45, pp. 757–776, 1998.
[3]
D. K. Rose and M. M. Cohen, “The airway: problems and predictions in 18,500 patients,” Canadian Journal of Anaesthesia, vol. 41, no. 5 I, pp. 372–383, 1994.
[4]
P.-Y. Boelle, P. Garnerin, J.-F. Sicard, F. Clergue, and F. Bonnet, “Voluntary reporting system in anaesthesia: is there a link between undesirable and critical events?” Quality in Health Care, vol. 9, no. 4, pp. 203–209, 2000.
[5]
M. R. Rai, A. Dering, and C. Verghese, “The Glidescope system: a clinical assessment of performance,” Anaesthesia, vol. 60, no. 1, pp. 60–64, 2005.
[6]
R. R. Noppens, C. Werner, and T. Piepho, “Indirect laryngoscopy. Alternatives to securing the airway,” Anaesthesist, vol. 59, no. 2, pp. 149–161, 2010.
[7]
G. Serocki, B. Bein, J. Scholz, and V. D?rges, “Management of the predicted difficult airway: a comparison of conventional blade laryngoscopy with video-assisted blade laryngoscopy and the glidescope,” European Journal of Anaesthesiology, vol. 27, no. 1, pp. 24–30, 2010.
[8]
G. Serocki, T. Neuman, E. Scharf, V. D?rge, and E. Cavus, “Indirect videolaryngoscopy with C-MAC D-Blade and GlideScope: a randomized, controlled comparison in patients with suspected difficult airways,” Minerva Anestesiologica, 2012.
[9]
M. A. Wayne and M. McDonnell, “Comparison of traditional versus video laryngoscopy in out-of-hospital tracheal intubation,” Prehospital Emergency Care, vol. 14, no. 2, pp. 278–282, 2010.
[10]
J. C. Sakles and L. Kalin, “The effect of stylet choice on the success rate of intubation using the glidescope video laryngoscope in the emergency department,” Academic Emergency Medicine, vol. 19, no. 2, pp. 235–238, 2012.
[11]
A. A. Nielsen, C. B. Hope, and A. E. Bair, “Glidescope Vedeolaryngoscopy in simulated difficult airway: bougie versus standard stylet,” Western Journal of Emergency Medicine, vol. 11, no. 5, pp. 426–431, 2010.
[12]
P. M. Jones, F. L. C. Loh, H. N. Youssef, and T. P. Turkstra, “A randomized comparison of the GlideRite Rigid Stylet to a malleable stylet for orotracheal intubation by novices using the GlideScope,” Canadian Journal of Anesthesia, vol. 58, no. 3, pp. 256–261, 2011.
[13]
Y. Hirabayashi, “The StyletScope facilitates tracheal intubation with the GlideScope,” Canadian Journal of Anesthesia, vol. 53, pp. 1263–1264, 2006.
[14]
E. C. Jang and K. K. Hae, “A maneuver to facilitate endotracheal intubation using the GlideScope,” Canadian Journal of Anesthesia, vol. 55, no. 1, pp. 56–57, 2008.
[15]
D. E. G. Griesdale, D. Liu, J. McKinney, and P. T. Choi, “Glidescope video-laryngoscopy versus direct laryngoscopy for endotracheal intubation: a systematic review and meta-analysis,” Canadian Journal of Anesthesia, vol. 59, no. 1, pp. 41–52, 2012.
[16]
R. D. Vincent Jr., M. P. Wimberly, R. C. Brockwell, and J. S. Magnuson, “Soft palate perforation during orotracheal intubation facilitated by the GlideScope videolaryngoscope,” Journal of Clinical Anesthesia, vol. 19, no. 8, pp. 619–621, 2007.
[17]
L. D. Conklin, W. S. Cox, and R. S. Blank, “Endotracheal tube introducer-assisted intubation with the GlideScope video laryngoscope,” Journal of Clinical Anesthesia, vol. 22, no. 4, pp. 303–305, 2010.
[18]
M. R. Rai, A. Dering, and C. Verghese, “The Glidescope system: a clinical assessment of performance,” Anaesthesia, vol. 60, no. 1, pp. 60–64, 2005.
[19]
E. Falcó-Molmeneu, F. Ramírez-Montero, R. Carreguí-Tusón, N. Santamaría- Arribas, T. Gallén-Jaime, and M. Vila-Sánchez, “The modified Eschmann guide to facilitate tracheal intubation using the GlideScope,” Canadian Journal of Anesthesia, vol. 53, pp. 633–634, 2006.
[20]
J. W. Heitz and D. Mastrando, “The use of a gum elastic bougie in combination with a videolaryngoscope,” Journal of Clinical Anesthesia, vol. 17, no. 5, pp. 408–409, 2005.
[21]
R. Sharma, “A new maneuver for endotracheal tube insertion during difficult glidescope intubation: a suggestion,” Journal of Emergency Medicine, vol. 40, no. 4, pp. 443–447, 2011.
[22]
F. S. Xue, Y. Cheng, R. P. Li, and X. Liao, “Comparative performance of direct and indirect laryngoscopes for emergency intubation under cervical stabilization,” Resuscitation, vol. 83, no. 8, article e169, 2012.
[23]
M. A. Malik, C. H. Maharaj, B. H. Harte, and J. G. Laffey, “Comparison of Macintosh, Truview EVO2, Glidescope, and Airwayscope laryngoscope use in patients with cervical spine immobilization,” British Journal of Anaesthesia, vol. 101, no. 5, pp. 723–730, 2008.
[24]
H. Y. Lai, I. H. Chen, A. Chen, F. Y. Hwang, and Y. Lee, “The use of the GlideScope for tracheal intubation in patients with ankylosing spondylitis,” British Journal of Anaesthesia, vol. 97, no. 3, pp. 419–422, 2006.
[25]
X. Lili, H. Zhiyong, and S. Jianjun, “A Comparison of the GlideScope with the macintosh laryngoscope for nasotracheal intubation in patients with ankylosing spondylitis,” Journal of Neurosurgical Anesthesiology, 2013.
[26]
T. Asai, Y. Eguchi, K. Murao, T. Niitsu, and K. Shingu, “Intubating laryngeal mask for fibreoptic intubation—particularly useful during neck stabilization,” Canadian Journal of Anesthesia, vol. 47, no. 9, pp. 843–848, 2000.
[27]
M. K. S?rensen, C. Bretlau, M. R. G?tke, A. M. S?rensen, and L. S. Rasmussen, “Rapid sequence induction and intubation with rocuronium-sugammadex compared with succinylcholine: a randomized trial,” British Journal of Anaesthesia, vol. 108, no. 4, pp. 682–689, 2012.
[28]
C. A?ez Simón, N. Montori Lacámara, M. L. Santos Marqués et al., “McGrath video laryngoscope used with a Frova intubating introducer for management of the difficult airway,” Revista Espa?ola de Anestesiología y Reanimación, vol. 57, no. 1, pp. 61–64, 2010.
[29]
T. Asai, “Pentax-AWS videolaryngoscope for awake nasal intubation in patients with unstable necks,” British Journal of Anaesthesia, vol. 104, no. 1, pp. 108–111, 2010.
[30]
H. Gonzalez, V. Minville, K. Delanoue, M. Mazerolles, D. Concina, and O. Fourcade, “The importance of increased neck circumference to intubation difficulties in obese patients,” Anesthesia and Analgesia, vol. 106, no. 4, pp. 1132–1136, 2008.
[31]
P. N. Shah and V. Sundaram, “Incidence and predictors of difficult mask ventilation and intubation,” Journal of Anaesthesiology Clinical Pharmacology, vol. 28, pp. 451–455, 2012.
[32]
F. Petrini, A. Accorsi, E. Adrario et al., “Recommendations for airway control and difficult airway management,” Minerva Anestesiologica, vol. 71, no. 11, pp. 617–657, 2005.
[33]
B. F. Robinson, “Relation of heart rate and systolic blood pressure to the onset of pain in angina pectoris,” Circulation, vol. 35, no. 6, pp. 1073–1083, 1967.
[34]
F. S. Xue, G. H. Zhang, and X. Y. Li, “Comparison of hemodynamic responses to orotracheal intubation with the GlideScope videolaryngoscope and the Macintosh direct laryngoscope,” Journal of Clinical Anesthesia, vol. 19, no. 4, pp. 245–250, 2007.