Affiliation:
1. Department of Anaesthesiology, Pain Medicine and Critical Care All India Institute of Medical Sciences New Delhi India
Abstract
AbstractBackgroundThe pediatric sizes of BlockBuster supraglottic airway (SGA) have been introduced recently. Its efficacy as a conduit for endotracheal intubation in children has not been assessed. Newer devices are often compared with Air‐Q SGA to assess their intubating capability.AimsThe primary objective was to compare the time taken for fiber‐optic‐guided intubation through the BlockBuster and the Air‐Q SGAs.MethodsSixty children aged 6 months to 12 years with normal airways were randomized into two groups: Air‐Q SGA (Group A) and Blockbuster SGA (Group B). After administration of general anesthesia, an appropriately sized SGA was inserted. The time taken for fiber‐optic‐guided intubation through the SGA, success, ease, and time for SGA insertion and removal were noted. The glottic view was graded by fiber‐optic bronchoscopy.ResultsDemographic parameters were comparable. The time to intubate with the BlockBuster 62.40 ± 17.2 s was comparable to the Air‐Q 60.8 ± 18.5 s (mean difference 1.6 s, 95% CI −7.65 to10.85; p = .73). The average time for SGA insertion in BlockBuster and Air‐Q was 14.57 ± 3.2 s and 16.67 ± 5.39 s, respectively (mean difference −2.1, 95% CI −4.39 to 0.19 s; p = .07). The first‐attempt intubation success and overall intubation success rates were comparable in both groups, 96.7% and 100%, respectively. In Group B, 25/3/1/1/0 cases had a glottic view grade of 1/2/3/4/5, respectively. In Group A, 23/3/2/2/0 cases had grade of 1/2/3/4/5 glottic views respectively. The average time to SGA removal was comparable between the BlockBuster (20.17 ± 5.8 s) and the Air‐Q (22.5 ± 12.8 s) groups (mean difference −2.3 s, 95% CI −7.5 to 2.82 s; p = .37). None of the children had any perioperative complications.ConclusionBlockBuster SGA may be a useful alternative to Air‐Q for SGA‐assisted, fiber‐optic‐guided tracheal intubation in children.