A Comparison of Direct Laryngoscopy and Videolaryngoscopy for Endotracheal Intubation by Inexperienced Users: A Pediatric Manikin Study.

OBJECTIVE: Direct laryngoscopy (DL) is the most common technique for endotracheal intubation, whereas videolaryngoscopy provides an indirect view of the glottis without the need to align the oral, pharyngeal, and tracheal axes. The current study compares videolaryngoscopy with DL among experienced and inexperienced users for endotracheal intubation using a pediatric manikin.

METHODS: Participants performed DL using Miller and Macintosh laryngoscopes and videolaryngoscopy using CMAC and GlideScope devices on a manikin (SimBaby; Laerdel, Wappingers Falls, NY). Time to endotracheal intubation, number of attempts, and successful intubation within 120 seconds were recorded.

RESULTS: Among 31 experienced users, time to endotracheal intubation with the CMAC (20 ± 13 seconds) did not differ from DL with either the Miller (30 ± 28 seconds) or Macintosh (27 ± 23 seconds) laryngoscopes. However, with the GlideScope, time to endotracheal intubation (85 ± 38 seconds) was longer. The results were similar among 12 inexperienced users, as time to endotracheal intubation with the CMAC (61 ± 34 seconds) was comparable with the Miller (72 ± 45 seconds) or Macintosh (72 ± 45 seconds) laryngoscopes but was longer with the GlideScope (118 ± 6 seconds) for each comparison.

CONCLUSIONS: The standard straight or curved laryngoscope blades including the CMAC were associated with shorter procedural time and higher success rate when compared with indirect videolaryngoscopy with an unconventional blade design such as the GlideScope in both experienced and inexperienced users. However, the current study demonstrates that results may be influenced by the anatomical design of the manikin.