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The lighted stylet is a device that uses illumination to facilitate tracheal placement of the endotracheal tube, thus eliminating the need for direct laryngoscopy. Typically, the stylet is inserted through an endotracheal tube and is then bent to a near right angle. The device then is placed through the mouth in the midline, and rocked forward to bring the light and tube through the glottis. Placement is confirmed by a localized anterior glow in the neck. The technique is easy to learn, even with minimal training. Most stylets can be accommodated by tubes with internal diameters as small as 2.5 mm.
This technique has a success rate near 100% in adults and 75% to 85% in small children and infants, and it is successful even in patients who fai…