CLINICAL USE OF THE COPA (CUFFED OROPHARY NGEAL AIRWAY)

Objectives: To assess the performance of the COPA device during genera l anaesthesia, Study design: Prospective, clinical, open study. Patien ts: Eighty patients scheduled for short elective surgical procedures u nder general anaesthesia not requiring tracheal intubation. Method: Af ter premedication (midazolam, atropine), anaesthesia was induced with propofol (154 +/- 40 mg = 2.47 +/- 0.8 mg . kg-(1)) and alfentanil (1. 14 +/- 0.43 mg). The COPA device was inserted in a fashion similar to a Guedel airway device. The device was evaluated on the following crit eria: correct choice of COPA size, ease of insertion, ability to obtai n or maintain patent airway. Adverse reactions were noted, such as cou ghing, nausea, regurgitation, inhalation, and sore throat. The overall rating of the COPA as a ''hand free device'' was evaluated on the bas is of excellent, good, fair, and poor. Results: Insertion of the devic e was easy and in 70 cases successful on the first attempt. Jaw thrust or head tilt was necessary in half the cases. No patient necessitated intubation because of hypoxaemia or airway obstruction. Adverse react ions occurred in few cases and consisted of sore throat (always modera te) in 10% of the cases. COPA was evaluated as excellent or good in 80 % of the cases. Conclusion: COPA is a convenient device for airway man agement in fasting patients undergoing general anaesthesia for electiv e surgery in the supine position, in whom tracheal intubation is not i ndicated. (C) 1998 Elsevier, Paris.