FIBEROPTIC INTUBATION USING THE CUFFED OROPHARYNGEAL AIRWAY AND AINTREE INTUBATION CATHETER

A cuffed oropharyngeal airway has recently been introduced which has l arger internal dimensions than a comparable Guedel airway. This allows a ventilation/exchange bougie, the Aintree Intubation Catheter, mount ed on a fibreoptic laryngoscope to pass through it. Its 15-mm connecto r and pharyngeal cuff suggested the possibility of using a Rusch seale d-port angle piece to allow ventilation through the oropharyngeal airw ay during fibreoptic laryngoscopy. This study investigated using this equipment to intubate the trachea through the cuffed oropharyngeal air way in paralysed patients, whilst maintaining ventilation manually wit h a Bain system. In 20 patients, airway control was satisfactory throu ghout and tracheal intubation was accomplished without complications. The cuffed oropharyngeal airway was easy to manipulate to improve a su boptimal fibreoptic view of the larynx. This may give it an advantage over the laryngeal mask airway when used as a ventilation/intubation c onduit.