GlideScope vs. C-MAC for Awake Upright Laryngoscopy.

Area of Science:

• Anesthesiology
• Airway Management
• Medical Devices

Background:

• Awake upright intubation with video laryngoscopy presents an alternative to traditional endotracheal intubation (ETI).
• This technique may overcome limitations associated with conventional ETI methods.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the GlideScope (GVL) and C-MAC video laryngoscopes.
• To evaluate laryngoscopic views and time intervals during awake, upright intubation in volunteers.

Main Methods:

• A prospective, randomized, crossover study was conducted on healthy volunteers.
• Participants underwent awake upright laryngoscopy using GVL and C-MAC under local anesthesia.
• Key metrics included time to glottic view, Percentage of Glottic Opening (POGO) score, Cormack-Lehane grade, and attempts needed.

Main Results:

• GlideScope (GVL) demonstrated a shorter median time to first glottic view compared to C-MAC (7s vs. 9s, p=0.005).
• GVL achieved significantly higher POGO scores (61.25 vs. 5, p<0.001) and better Cormack-Lehane views (1.5 vs. 2, p=0.001).
• Time to best glottic view and number of attempts were similar between the two devices.

Conclusions:

• GlideScope provides superior visualization compared to C-MAC during awake upright laryngoscopy.
• These findings suggest GVL may be a preferred device for this specific intubation technique in healthy individuals.