[Impact of Cormack and Lehane's grade on Intubating Laryngeal Mask Airway Fastrach using: a study in gynaecological...

To evaluate the impact of Cormack and Lehane grade on the Intubating Laryngeal Mask Airway (LMA-Fastrach) using in women.

Open prospective study.

The study included 115 scheduled gynaecologic surgery women.

An LMA-Fastrach was systematically performed in patients with a Cormack's grade > or =3 or when Arne's score was > or =7 whatever the Cormack. After induction of anaesthesia and neuromuscular blockade, Cormack's grade was assessed and LMA-Fastrach was inserted. Proper insertion was confirmed by the easiness of assisted ventilation and the normal aspect of the capnographic curve. Intubation through the LMA-Fastrach was carried out with the specific kit's endotracheal tube. More than two attempts were considered as a failure of the technique and an alternative method was performed. The following parameters were noted: age, weight, height, clinical predictors for difficult intubation (Arne et al.'s score), number of LMA-Fastrach insertion, ventilation efficiency through LMA-Fastrach, successful intubation with LMA-Fastrach and oesophageal intubation.

Ventilation through the LMA-Fastrach was efficient in 97%. The success rate of intubation was 94.8% (86% on the first attempt). The success rate of ventilation and intubation were not statistically different according to the different Cormack's grades. The obesity (BMI>30) did not change the success rate of ventilation and intubation through the LMA-Fastrach.

In women with either predicted or unpredicted difficult intubation, the success rates of ventilation and intubation through the LMA-Fastrach don't seem to be influenced by Cormack grade and obesity.