High Failure Rate for Levitan FPS Scope in Predicted Difficult Intubations

The Levitan FPS (first pass success) Scope is a malleable stylet with a fiberoptic viewing port that is used with a direct laryngoscope to improve glottic view and intubation success. No prior study has compared intubation by direct laryngoscopy with and without the FPS. In this study, 94 healthy gynecologic surgery patients underwent intubation by Macintosh laryngoscopy with and without the FPS in sequential random order. Manual in-line spine stabilization was maintained throughout intubation to simulate a difficult airway. Operators were anesthesiologists who had performed more than 10 successful FPS intubations. Patients with significant gastroesophageal reflux disease, obesity (body mass index >45 kg/m²), predictors of difficult intubat…