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Updated: Apr 30, 2026

The Rigid Tube as an Alternative in Controlling the Problematic Airway
Published on: June 6, 2020
Comparison of the Airtraq and McCoy laryngoscopes using a rigid neck collar in patients with simulated difficult
Qazi Ehsan Ali1, Bikramjit Das1, Syed Hussain Amir1
1Department of Anesthesiology, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, A.M.U., Aligarh.,U.P., India.
Study Objective:
To determine the efficacy of the Airtraq versus the McCoy laryngoscope as intubation devices with the neck stabilized by a rigid cervical collar.
Design:
Prospective, randomized, double-blinded study.
Setting:
Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College.
Patients:
60 ASA physical status 1, 2, and 3 patients, aged 18-70 years, scheduled for various surgical procedures requiring tracheal intubation for surgical anesthesia.
Interventions:
Patients were randomly allocated to undergo intubation with the McCoy (n = 30) or Airtraq (n = 30) laryngoscope.
Measurements And Main Results:
Differences in intubation times between the Airtraq and the McCoy laryngoscope, modified Cormack-Lehane score, percentage of glottic opening (POGO) score, and airway trauma were compared. Overall intubation success rates were 100% with both devices and a similar number of intubation attempts were required. However, the mean (SD) time required for successful intubation was shorter with the Airtraq (28.73 ± 6.39 sec) than the McCoy laryngoscope (39.11 ± 14.01 sec; P < 0.0001). The frequencies of intubation complications were similar. Esophageal intubation occurred in 4 cases but only with the McCoy laryngoscope.
Conclusion:
Intubation time was shorter with the Airtraq than the McCoy laryngoscope, even though the overall success rates between the two devices were similar.
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