Skip Navigation

This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow E-Letters: Submit a response to the article
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when E-letters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in ISI Web of Science
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Search for citing articles in:
ISI Web of Science (4)
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Disclaimer
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Asai, T.
Right arrow Articles by Shingu, K.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Asai, T.
Right arrow Articles by Shingu, K.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

British Journal of Anaesthesia, 2003, Vol. 90, No. 4 457-460
© 2003 The Board of Management and Trustees of the British Journal of Anaesthesia

Clinical Investigations

Comparison of two Macintosh laryngoscope blades in 300 patients

T. Asai1, S. Matsumoto1, K. Fujise2, S. Johmura1 and K. Shingu1

1 Department of Anaesthesiology, Kansai Medical University, 10-15 Fumizono-cho, Moriguchi City, Osaka 570-8507, Japan. 2 Ishikiri-Seiki Hospital, Yayoi, Higashi-Osaka 579-8026, Japan

Corresponding author. E-mail: asait@takii.kmu.ac.jp

Background. There are two forms of Macintosh laryngoscope blade. Compared with the standard blade, the English blade is longer, its curve is more continuous across the entire length of the blade, the flange of the blade continues much closer to the blade tip, and the height of the flange is shorter.

Method. We studied 300 patients to compare the ease of laryngoscopy with each type of Macintosh laryngoscope blade. In a random crossover design, after induction of anaesthesia and neuromuscular block, the two blades were inserted in turn, and the views of the glottis at laryngoscopy (Cormack and Lehane scores) were compared.

Results. There was a difference in the view of the glottis in 80 patients. Among these patients, the view was better for the English blade for 63 patients and the standard blade was better for 17 patients. Laryngoscopy was difficult (grade 3 or 4) for at least one blade in 42 of 300 patients (14%). In these 42 patients, there was a difference in the score between the blades in 28 patients; the view was better for the English blade in 25 patients (60%) and for the standard blade in three patients (7%). The view was significantly better for the English blade than for the standard blade (P<0.001; 95% confidence interval 45–74%).

Conclusions. In patients in whom laryngoscopy was unexpectedly difficult, the English blade provided a better glottic view significantly more frequently than the standard blade.

Br J Anaesth 2003: 90: 457–60


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Anesth. Analg.Home page
J. Huh, H.-Y. Shin, S.-H. Kim, T.-K. Yoon, and D.-K. Kim
Diagnostic Predictor of Difficult Laryngoscopy: The Hyomental Distance Ratio
Anesth. Analg., February 1, 2009; 108(2): 544 - 548.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Disclaimer: Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.