Airtraq Is Superior to Macintosh Laryngoscope for Novice Intubators

The Airtraq is an optical laryngoscope that uses lenses and mirrors to visualize the trachea indirectly, eliminating the need to align the oropharyngeal axes. To compare use of the Airtraq and Macintosh laryngoscopes by novice intubators, researchers randomized 30 medical students in Chicago to use an Airtraq or Macintosh laryngoscope (size 3 blade) to perform their first two patient intubations. Sixty healthy surgical patients without markers of difficult intubation were enrolled. Students first received didactic training and practiced on a simulator until they demonstrated competence with both instruments.

The Airtraq significantly outperformed the Macintosh on every measure: The intubation success rate was higher with the Airtraq than wit…