EFFECTS OF LIGHTWAND (TRACHLIGHT) COMPARED WITH DIRECT LARYNGOSCOPY ON CIRCULATORY RESPONSES TO TRACHEAL INTUBATION

We compared the effects of the lightwand technique on circulatory resp onses to tracheal intubation with those of direct-vision laryngoscopy. Forty adult patients received propofol and vecuronium, and their lung s were ventilated for 2 min via a mask with 5% sevoflurane in oxygen, after which the trachea was intubated orally using either the lightwan d (Trachlight, n=20) or the Macintosh laryngoscope (n=20). Maximum mea n arterial pressure changes did not differ between groups during (ligh twand group, 25 (SD 21) mm Hg vs laryngoscopy group, 23 (19) mm Hg) an d after (21 (24) mm Hg vs 21 (16) mm Hg) tracheal intubation. Maximum heart rate changes were similar for groups during (16 (14) beat min(-1 ) vs 16 (15) beat min(-1)) and after (2 (11) beat min(-1) vs 7 (19) be at min(-1)) tracheal intubation. There were no differences between the lightwand technique and direct-vision laryngoscopy in changes in mean arterial pressure and heart rate during and after tracheal intubation . We conclude that the effects of the lightwand technique on circulato ry responses to tracheal intubation were similar to those of direct-vi sion laryngoscopy.