Does the ILMA make sense in HEMS?

As first reported by Brain(1) by the early 1980s, the laryngeal mask airway (LMA) represented a new approach to airway management. The LMA has been used to facilitate tracheal intubation by a variety of methods. In fact, the LMA has been used to intubate the patient with difficult tracheal access. A recent addition to this technique, the intubating laryngeal mask airway (ILMA), shown in Figure 1, first was proposed by Brain and coworkers in 1995.(1,2) Fig. 1. Components of the intubating laryngeal mask airway. An endotracheal tube may be passed through the airway tube. The ILMA incorporates the standard LMA cuff in sizes 3, 4, or 5, along with a metal airway tube and handle. The handle allows users to manipulate the device within the patient's airway. The airway tube component has a wider internal diameter and is shorter than the standard LMA tube. A silicone rubber bite block surrounds the upper portion of the stem.