European Journal of Molecular & Clinical Medicine

Background & Aims: Video laryngoscopes have become components of difficult airway cart. However, there is a problem with availability at all centres, expertise with the equipment and the price. We compared Airtraq video laryngoscope with conventional Macintosh laryngoscope in ease of intubation based on Intubation difficulty scale, Percent of Glottic Opening (POGO) score.
Materials & Methods: A prospective Single blinded, Randomised study with 60 Adult patients, aged 18-60 years, American Society of Anaesthesiologists (ASA) physical status I-II, scheduled for various elective surgeries requiring endotracheal intubation.
We assessed ease of tracheal intubation based on Intubation Difficulty Scale (IDS), Visualisation of glottic opening as per Percent of Glottic Opening (POGO) score and hemodynamic response to endotracheal intubation with Macintosh laryngoscope and Airtraq optical laryngoscope.
Results: The mean Intubation Difficulty Scale (IDS) score in Airtraq group is 0.2as compared to Macintosh group with mean IDS score of 1.93, with p-value <0. 0001. There is a difference in POGO grading among the groups with higher scores in Airtraq group, p-value-0. 000003.There is a difference in hemodynamic response to intubation among the groups, systolic, diastolic and mean arterial pressure were high in Macintosh group when compared to Airtraq group with p<0.05.
Conclusion: The optical Airtraq laryngoscope provides a better intubation condition with lower Intubation Difficulty Scale (IDS) score, better glottic view and no marked hemodynamic alterations to laryngoscopy as compared to Macintosh laryngoscope.

Background:Haemodynamic changes occurring during direct laryngoscopy and endotracheal
intubation are well tolerated by healthy individuals but can be fatal in patients with
hypertension, heart disease and intracranial hypertension. Many methods have been tried to
obtund these responses.
Methods: 60 consenting patients were randomised to receive 30 mg/kg of magnesium
sulphate (MgSO4) in 100 ml saline over 10 min before induction or preservative free 2%
lignocaine 1.5 mg/kg diluted to 5 ml with saline 90 secs before intubation. Heart rate,
systolic, diastolic & mean blood pressures and time taken to extubate were monitored.
Results: Hemodynamic parameters showed no significant rise at intubation in both the
groups. Time taken to extubate was similar in both the groups.
Conclusion: MgSO4 30 mg/kg given intravenously as infusionover 10 minutes prior to
induction and lignocaine 1.5 mg/kg given 90 seconds before intubation were comparable in
attenuating pressor response to laryngoscopy and intubation with no clinically significant
prolongation in time taken to extubate in MgSO4 group.