[Use of closed circuit television for teaching tracheal intubation to medical students]

There are many occassions when patients could benefit from early intubation. This skill should be acquired by all doctors and not only by resuscitators and trainee anaesthetists. In Liverpool, all undergraduates in their fifth year of medicine are expected to intubate a minimum of ten patients lnder supervision of the anaesthetist. The use of closed circuit television has been explored and its value assessed in the teaching of intubation to undergraduates. The availability of hardware that is inexpensive, relatively simple to use and requiring minimal staff, such as Phikips VCR N1500 has made this approach to all. Videotapes are superior to film for this, since they are cheap, reusable and do not require chemical processing. The medium is versatile and replay immediate. Student performance can be recorded and replayed to allow positive identification of an imperfect technique. The videotape permits discussion and demonstration of methods of improvement of technique. A pre-recorded tape can be used to illustrate the anatomy and to demonstrate intubation in the absence of a patient. The fact that this is in black and white at the moment may be a disadvantage, but colour is not essential for recognition of the anatomy of the larynx. It must not be forgotten that in Britain, written permission is required before recording patients on "videograms". This can be obtained by modification of the consent forms signed by the patients prior to surgery.