A COMPARISON OF LIGHT WAND AND SUSPENSION LARYNGOSCOPIC INTUBATION TECHNIQUES IN OUTPATIENTS

Endotracheal intubation can produce postoperative sore throat and hoar seness, as well as changes in cardiovascular variables. A major goal o f ambulatory surgery is the prompt return of patients to their daily a ctivities. Postoperative sore throat may impede this and may decrease patient satisfaction with their anesthetic and surgical experience. We conducted a prospective, randomized study in 40 outpatients having lo wer extremity arthroscopies to compare the effects of direct laryngosc opy and light wand intubation on cardiovascular changes, sore throat, hoarseness, and dysphagia. Subjects were randomly assigned to either G roup A (endotracheal intubation by rigid laryngoscopy) or Group B (end otracheal intubation with a light wand). A standardized anesthetic tec hnique was used. Heart rate and blood pressure were recorded before in duction, after induction but before endotracheal intubation, and at 1- min intervals for the first 5 min after intubation. Sixteen to twenty- four hours postoperatively, the incidence and severity of sore throat, hoarseness, and dysphagia was assessed by a follow-up phone call. Thi s study demonstrated no clinically significant difference in cardiovas cular variables between the two techniques. Patients had a significant ly lower incidence and severity of sore threat, hoarseness, and dyspha gia when a light wand was used for intubation. In conclusion, this stu dy suggests that light wand intubation may decrease the incidence and severity of postoperative sore throat, hoarseness, and dysphagia, ther eby potentially increasing satisfaction in ambulatory surgical patient s. Implications: This prospective, randomized study found that the inc idence and severity of postoperative sore throat, hoarseness, and diff iculty in swallowing among ambulatory surgical patients is more freque nt when they are endotracheally intubated with a rigid laryngoscope th an with a light wand. The authors, therefore, recommend more frequent use of the light wand for endotracheal intubation.