A. Kapila et al., THE INTUBATING LARYNGEAL MASK AIRWAY - AN INITIAL ASSESSMENT OF PERFORMANCE, British Journal of Anaesthesia, 79(6), 1997, pp. 710-713
A new prototype of the laryngeal mask airway (LMA), the intubating lar
yngeal mask airway (ILMA), was used to facilitate tracheal intubation
in 100 fasted patients presenting for elective surgery. Alignment of t
he ILMA with the larynx was assessed fibreoptically before intubation
without the investigator performing the intubation being aware of the
view score. Ease of intubation correlated with the view obtained and w
ith the degree of manipulation of the ILMA needed to achieve tracheal
intubation. Intubation was successful in 93 patients. Of the seven int
ubation failures, five occurred in the first 20 patients. Conventional
connection to the breathing system and ventilation of the lungs of th
e patients were possible throughout the intubation procedure.