GlideScope Matches Flexible Fiber-Optic Scope for Intubation in Obese Patients

A flexible fiber-optic scope (FFOS) often is used to intubate obese patients, but fiber-optic intubation requires training and practice. Researchers compared intubation performance of the GlideScope video laryngoscope and the FFOS in 75 obese patients (body-mass index ≥30 kg/m²) undergoing elective surgery. After induction of anesthesia, patients were randomly assigned to one of the two methods; all intubations were performed by two experienced anesthesiologists.

There were no significant differences between the GlideScope and FFOS groups in time to intubation (median, 37 and 43 seconds), intubation difficulty (median scores on a 100-mm visual analog scale, 15 and 20), first-attempt success (95% and 86%), or incidences of hypoxemia (SaO₂ <90…