Comparison of a new video-optical intubation stylet versus the conventional malleable stylet in simulated difficult tracheal intubation

Handling and efficacy of a new video-optical intubation stylet were assesse d in a simulated difficult tracheal intubation setting and compared with a conventional malleable stylet. Forty-five anaesthetists performed 10 trache al intubations using both techniques. Laryngoscopy was performed by the obs erver, who created a grade 3 view according the classification by Cormack a nd Lehane. The time taken to place the tracheal tube and the final tracheal tube positions were documented. Mean (SD) intubation time for the video-op tical stylet was 20.4 (7.7) s and for the malleable stylet 10.2 (3.3) s (p < 0.01). With the video-optical stylet the trachea was correctly intubated in all 225 attempts; with the malleable stylet 14 (19.6%) oesophageal and 4 4 (19.6%) endobronchial intubations occurred (p < 0.01). The video-optical intubation stylet enabled us to recognise inappropriate tracheal tube posit ions and to correct them immediately. This equipment can be considered a re liable and effective tool for management of the difficult airway.