Clarus Video System Is Faster Than Airway Scope for Intubation of Patients with Cervical Collars

Both the Clarus Video System (CVS), an adaptation of the Shikani Optical Stylet (JW Emerg Med Jun 29 2007 and Sep 28 2007), and the Pentax Airway Scope (AWS), a video laryngoscope, show promise for intubation of patients requiring cervical spine immobilization. The CVS incorporates a fiber-optic stylet over which an endotracheal tube is mounted, an integrated video chip, and a monitor; it is used without a laryngoscope. Researchers in South Korea randomized 140 patients undergoing elective surgery to intubation with the CVS or AWS by one of two experienced operators (>50 intubations with each device). To simulate difficult airways, patients' necks were immobilized in semirigid Philadelphia cervical collars.

Patient demographics and difficult…