AIRWAY CONTROL DURING PERCUTANEOUS DILATATIONAL TRACHEOSTOMY - PILOT-STUDY WITH THE INTUBATING LARYNGEAL MASK AIRWAY

Percutaneous dilatation tracheostomy has become a common procedure for bedside insertion of tracheostomy tubes in the intensive care unit. M anagement of the airway during the procedure using the laryngeal mask airway (LMA) and other methods has been described. The intubating lary ngeal mask airway has several potential benefits for airway management during percutaneous dilatation tracheostomy compared with the LMA. Th ese include the use of both the fibreoptic bronchoscope and tracheal t ube if necessary. We report the results of a pilot study of 10 patient s that illustrates these advantages.