Airway Scope: early clinical experience in 405 patients

Abstract

The Airway Scope (Pentax, Tokyo, Japan) is a new device used for tracheal intubation. It allows visualization of the glottis through a non-line-of sight view. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the suitability of this device for the tracheal intubation of surgical patients. In this prospective study, the Airway Scope was used for the endotracheal intubation of 405 patients by 74 airway operators. The Airway Scope allowed visualization of the glottis in all 405 patients, including those with a Cormack-Lehane view of grade III (n = 15) or grade IV (n = 1) on Macintosh laryngoscopy. All tracheal intubations using the Airway Scope were successful. The mean time to complete tracheal intubation was 42.4 +/- 19.7 s (+/-SD; range, 13-192 s). No dental damage was encountered, though minor mucosal injury caused by the blade was experienced in 2 patients. The Airway Scope consistently permitted a better intubation environment. With its potential advantages, the Airway Scope could be an effective aid to airway management in surgical patients.

The videolaryngoscope is less traumatic than the classic laryngoscope for a difficult airway in an obese patient

“…The manufacturers of other videolaryngoscopes (GlideScope, Verathon, WA, USA and Mc.Grath Series 5, Aircraft Medical, Edinburgh, UK) advocate midline insertion and the use of a styletted endotracheal tube. Both the Airway Scope (Pentax-AWS system; AWS; Pentax, Tokyo, Japan) and the Airtraq (ATQ; Prodol Meditec, Vizcaya, Spain) are anatomically shaped rigid indirect videolaryngoscope intubation devices with an adjustable built-in monitor; both devices provide an indirect view of the glottis without requiring the laryngoscope's line of sight [17][18][19]. These devices use a tube channel in the right side of the blade which holds the endotracheal tube and directs it towards the vocal cords.…”

Influence of clinical experience of the Macintosh laryngoscope on performance with the Pentax-AWS Airway Scope®, a rigid video-laryngoscope, by paramedics in Japan

“…In addition, the blade of the AWS has three-dimensional structures that are designed to fit into the pharyngeal space and ensure that there is sufficient space to visualize the glottis, and a target mark on the screen guides the endotracheal tube through a groove in the blade and then between the vocal cords. These features may enable novice personnel without clinical training to intubate successfully [18,19]. Interestingly, the group of paramedics with no previous experience of the ML was able to intubate successfully more often and applied less pressure to the teeth than the group with experience, which may reflect the fact that the AWS requires a somewhat different technique.…”

Difficult tracheal intubation using the Airway Scope in a patient with unexpected mouth-opening difficulty

“…Some reports show that the Airway Scope facilitates tracheal intubation in patients with difficult airways [1][2][3]. We report a difficult tracheal intubation using the Airway Scope in a patient with unexpected mouth-opening and laryngoscopic difficulty.…”