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The intubating laryngeal mask airway (ILMA) has a wire-reinforced reusable endotracheal tube -- the Fastrach silicone tube (FTST) -- specially designed for intubation through the mask. Conventional endotracheal tubes also can be used but have not been compared head-to-head with the FTST. Investigators in India randomized 150 healthy adults without identifiable difficult-airway markers to undergo intubation through the ILMA with the FTST or either of two conventional endotracheal tubes: the Rusch polyvinyl chloride tube (PVCT, which was softened by prewarming) and the Rusch latex armored tracheal tube (LAT.)
The ILMA was successfully placed, and ventilation was achieved in all patients. Ninety-six percent of patients were then successfully in…