Pediatric Air-Q ILA Is an Effective Primary Airway Device

The air-Q^® is a single-use intubating laryngeal airway (ILA). To determine its operating characteristics in children, researchers evaluated insertion of weight-appropriate devices in 110 healthy children (weight <50 kg) undergoing elective surgery. Oropharyngeal leak pressures and tidal volumes were measured with the head in five positions: neutral, maximum flexion, maximum extension, and 90 degrees to the left and right. Three anesthesiologists performed all insertions. Devices were provided by the manufacturer.

All insertions were considered easy and all were successful: 98% on the first attempt and 2% on the second attempt. Median oropharyngeal leak pressures in the neutral-head position ranged from 14 to 23 mm H₂O and increased with head…