[LMA CTrach: initial experiences in patients with difficult-to-manage airways]

Area of Science:

• Anesthesiology
• Medical Devices
• Airway Management

Context:

• Traditional intubating supraglottic airway devices carry risks like esophageal perforation.
• Flexible bronchoscopes, while effective, increase resource burden and intubation time.
• The Laryngeal Mask Airway CTrach (CTrach) was developed with an integrated fiberoptic system for direct laryngeal visualization.

Purpose:

• To evaluate the initial clinical experience and practical handling of the CTrach.
• To assess the efficacy of the CTrach in patients with difficult-to-manage airways.
• To determine the success rates of ventilation and tracheal intubation using the CTrach.

Summary:

• The CTrach was applied to 10 patients with difficult airways, with laryngeal views classified from grade I to IV.
• Ventilation was successful in all patients, with adequate quality in nine.
• Tracheal intubation was successful in all patients, with 90% achieved on the first attempt, and adjusting maneuvers improved laryngeal visualization.

Impact:

• The CTrach demonstrates high success rates for ventilation and intubation in challenging airway cases.
• The integrated fiberoptic system of the CTrach facilitates laryngeal visualization.
• Adjusting maneuvers can significantly improve the quality of laryngeal views obtained with the CTrach.