[A multicenter study for evaluating a new intubating laryngeal mask airway]

Area of Science:

• Anesthesiology
• Medical Devices
• Airway Management

Background:

• Endotracheal intubation is a critical procedure in general anesthesia.
• Traditional laryngoscopy may present challenges in certain patient populations.
• The intubating laryngeal mask (ILM) offers an alternative airway management device.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy and success rate of the intubating laryngeal mask (ILM, Fastrach) for endotracheal intubation.
• To assess ILM performance in patients undergoing general anesthesia, including those with predicted difficult airways.
• To determine the influence of anesthesiologist experience on ILM intubation success.

Main Methods:

• A multicenter study involving 191 adult patients (ASA status I-II) undergoing general anesthesia.
• Patients were intubated using the intubating laryngeal mask (ILM).
• Data collected included intubation success rates, time to intubation, and difficulty assessment via laryngoscopy.

Main Results:

• The overall success rate for endotracheal intubation with the ILM was 84.8% (162/191 patients).
• The mean intubation time in successful cases was 19.1 seconds.
• For the 24 patients predicted to have difficult laryngoscopic intubation, the ILM achieved a 95.8% success rate (23/24 patients).

Conclusions:

• Endotracheal intubation using the intubating laryngeal mask (ILM) is effective and efficient.
• The ILM is a valuable tool for managing difficult airways.
• ILM success rates were not significantly dependent on anesthesiologist experience, though individual success improved with practice.