Video vs. Direct Laryngoscopy in Patients with Cervical Spine Immobilization

Better laryngoscopic views with video laryngoscopy do not equal intubation success.

Intubating a trauma patient with cervical spine immobilization can be difficult. Prior studies in this population have shown that video laryngoscopy improves laryngoscopic view and reduces intubation difficulty (NEJM JW Emerg Med Mar 14 2008). To compare laryngoscopy with the Macintosh direct laryngoscope to laryngoscopy with the McGrath Series 5 video laryngoscope in patients with cervical spine immobilization, researchers recruited 128 healthy adults underdoing elective surgery.

Each patient underwent laryngoscopy with one device, assigned randomly, followed by laryngoscopy and intubation with the other device; thus, each patient served as his or her own control. Manual in-line stabilization was provided by an experienced practitioner. Mea…

Reviewing Authors

R. Eleanor Anderson, MD

Disclosures

Nothing to disclose

R. Eleanor Anderson, MD

Disclosures

Nothing to disclose

Daniel J. Pallin, MD, MPH

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardPortola Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Speaker’s BureauPeerView Institute for Medical Education

Grant/Research SupportAgency for Healthcare Research and Quality; CDC; NIH–National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences; NIH–National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID); NIH–NIAID–Antibacterial Resistance Leadership Group; Merck; Pfizer; Boehringer-Ingelheim; Shire; Portola Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; Novartis; bioMérieux; Siemens; Rapid Pathogen Screening; Magnolia; Stago; Innovative Biosensors; Molecular Detection, Inc.; Dyax Corp.; Trius Pharmaceuticals

Daniel J. Pallin, MD, MPH

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardPortola Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Speaker’s BureauPeerView Institute for Medical Education

Video vs. Direct Laryngoscopy in Patients with Cervical Spine Immobilization

Topics

Reviewing Authors