The reinforced laryngeal mask in paediatric outpatient dental surgery

One hundred and twenty ASA I and II grade children aged 3-9 years scheduled for outpatient dental extractions under general anaesthesia were studied. They were allocated randomly to one of three groups for airway management: group R had anaesthesia with a reinforced laryngeal mask airway, group L wi th a standard laryngeal mask airway and group N with a nasal mask. Anaesthe sia was induced in all children using halothane in 50%; nitrous oxide with oxygen and maintained on halothane in 67% nitrous oxide with oxygen, an Ayr e's T-piece with Jackson-Rees modification was used. The incidence of airwa y obstruction was significantly lower and surgical access significantly bet ter with the reinforced laryngeal mask airway when compared with the standa rd laryngeal mask airway. However, the reinforced laryngeal mask airway was significantly more difficult to insert when compared with the standard lar yngeal mask airway. On comparing the reinforced laryngeal mask airway with the nasal mask, there were significantly; fewer episodes of airway obstruct ion, better oxygen saturation, less increase in heart rate and fewer arrhyt hmias in the reinforced laryngeal mask airway group. Total time for the pro cedures was the same for all three groups. Thus, the reinforced laryngeal m ask airway was found to be a favourable alternative to the standard larynge al mask airway and nasal mask for paediatric outpatient dental extractions.