Videolaryngoscopy for Intubation

Abstract

Recent advances in fberoptic systems and video technology have resulted in the development of new intubation devices and techniques such as videolaryngoscopes. Videolaryngoscopes have adopted a different approach to laryngoscopy and intubation because of the indirect view allowed by an optical system positioned near the tip of the blade. The aim of this article is to review material published in recent years for describe the clinical use of videolaryngoscopes in a patient who had been difficult or impossible to intubate by conventional direct laryngoscopy. The authors compare direct and indirect laryngoscopies performed under different conditions of difficulty through the instruments such as new laryngoscopes or videolaryngoscopes. The conclusions have indicated that much of the collected data were inadequate because of the high heterogeneity of the selected populations and the small number of really difficult-to-intubate patients. Otherwise, it is clear that reporting the change of view rather than the rate of success at intubation is likely to bias the results towards the new devices.The primary role of a new laryngoscope or videolaryngoscope should be to enable better performance in patients who are difficult or even impossible to intubate using the conventional methods. The clinical role of these devices await confirmation in a large series of difficult airway surveys. © 2011 OMU All rights reserved.