THE HEMODYNAMIC-RESPONSE TO THE INSERTION OF THE LARYNGEAL MASK AIRWAY - A COMPARISON WITH LARYNGOSCOPY AND TRACHEAL INTUBATION

The haemodynamic response to the insertion of the laryngeal mask airwa y (LMA) was assessed and compared to that of laryngoscopy and tracheal intubation in a study of forty patients (ASA 1) randomly allocated in to two groups and anaesthetised using a standard balanced anaesthetic technique. The results show that the changes in all cardiovascular par ameters measured following LMA insertion were significantly less (P<0. 05) when compared with those following laryngoscopy and tracheal intub ation. We conclude that airway management with the LMA may be used to avoid the haemodynamic response to tracheal intubation where such a re sponse is undersirable.