Introduction

 

 

The GlideScope Video Laryngoscope allows for the transmission of a color video image to a monitor, enabling the operator to visualize anatomical structures of the laryngeal aperture not necessarily in the line-of-sight with conventional laryngoscopy. We recently evaluated the Standard Adult GlideScope Video Laryngoscope (SGVL; manufactured by Saturn Biomedical, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada) in formally instructed but novice users and determined that the success of tracheal intubation with this device was not affected by conventional laryngoscopic view grading (4). 

 

Technologic improvements have allowed the SGVL to manufactured with a lower profile, the Lo Pro Adult GlideScope Video Laryngoscope (LGVL). The LGVL may be particularly suitable for patients with limited mouth opening and/or restricted pharyngeal space; furthermore, the lower profile of the blade may ease blade insertion and may provide more space for oropharyngeal tracheal tube passage. Unfortunately, there are no published data to substantiate these suggestions; there are only some other studies with the SGVL (3, 6-8). We therefore conducted a further study on patients with variable degrees of airway difficulties and conventional laryngeal views to evaluate the performance of the new LGVL in clinical practice.

 

 

Materials and Methods