AWAKE INTUBATION OF THE DIFFICULT AIRWAY WITH THE INTUBATING LARYNGEAL MASK AIRWAY

The intubating laryngeal mask airway is a new device that facilitates intubation of the trachea. We assessed its use in 15 awake patients in whom we anticipated difficulty with tracheal intubation; we would oth erwise have secured the patients' airways using a fibreoptic bronchosc ope. AU patients were sedated and had their airways anaesthetised with local anaesthetic. The tracheas of all 15 patients were successfully intubated. The mean time from start of sedation to successful intubati on was 10.8 min. The mean time from completion of sedation and airway local anaesthesia to tracheal intubation was 2.8 min. Patients remaine d haemodynamically stable throughout, peripheral oxygen saturation was maintained and there were no obvious cases of pulmonary aspiration. M ost patients complained of sore throat and hoarseness. We have demonst rated through this descriptive study that the intubating laryngeal mas k airway may, in certain circumstances, be used as an alternative to t he fibreoptic bronchoscope.