GlideScope® video laryngoscope: A randomized clinical trial in 203 paediatric patients

Abstract

Background. The GlideScope® intubating device has been reported to provide a comparable or superior laryngoscopic view compared with direct laryngoscopy in adults. This study compared the use of the GlideScope® with direct laryngoscopy for the laryngoscopic view and intubation time in children. Methods. The laryngoscopic view in 203 children was scored using both the Macintosh laryngoscope and the GlideScope® using Cormack and Lehane (C&L) grades. After scoring each laryngoscopic view with and without BURP, the patients were randomly allocated to two groups. The trachea was intubated using direct laryngoscopy (Group DL, n=100) or the GlideScope® (Group GS, n=103). We compared C&L grades for the two views in the same patient, and also the time to intubate for each group. Results. The GlideScope® improved the view without BURP in the patients with C&L grade 2 (16/26, P<0.01) and with C&L grades 3 and 4 (7/11, P<0.05). The view with BURP was also improved by the GlideScope® in C&L grade 2 (4/9, P<0.05) and with C&L grades 3 and 4 (4/5, P=0.059). The mean time for tracheal intubation was 36.0 (17.9) s in the GS group and 23.8 (13.9) s in the DL group (P<0.001). Conclusions. In children, the GlideScope® provided a laryngoscopic view equal to or better than that of direct laryngoscopy but required a longer time for intubation. © The Board of Management and Trustees of the British Journal of Anaesthesia 2008. All rights reserved.