First clinical evaluation of the C-MAC D-Blade videolaryngoscope during routine and difficult intubation

In the present preliminary study we evaluated the C-MAC® D-Blade (Karl Storz, Tuttlingen, Germany), a new videolaryngoscopic C-MAC blade for difficult intubation, during both routine and difficult intubations. First, both the conventional direct laryngoscopy and the D-Blade were used in 15 consecutive patients with normal airways during routine induction of anesthesia. Second, the D-Blade was used as a rescue device in 20 of 300 (6.7%) consecutive patients, when conventional direct laryngoscopy failed. In the 15 patients during routine induction of anesthesia, with direct laryngoscopy, a Cormack-Lehane (C/L) grade 1 and grade 2a view was seen in 7 and 8 patients, respectively. It was possible to insert the D-Blade and to get a video view of the glottis on the first attempt in all patients; with the D-Blade, all 15 patients had a C/L 1 view. The time to successful intubation with the D-Blade was 15 (8-26) seconds (median (range)). In the 20 patients, in whom unexpected difficulty with direct laryngoscopy was observed, C/L grades 3 and 4 were present in 15 and 5 patients, respectively. With the use of the D-Blade, indirect C/L video view improved to C/L class 1 in 15 patients, and to 2a in 5 patients, respectively. The time from touching the laryngoscope to optimal laryngoscopic view was 11 (5-45) seconds and for successful intubation 17 (3-80) seconds. In all 35 patients, with the D-Blade no direct view of the glottis was possible and subsequently a semiflexible tube guide was required.