The Portable GlideScope Video Laryngoscope System: Tracheal Intubation in Emergency Situations

 

 

Schirin M. Missaghi, MD,¹ Thomas Martys, MD,² and Klaus Krasser, MD¹

 

¹Staff Anesthetist and Intensive Care Physician, Department of Anesthesia and Intensive Care, Empress Elisabeth Hospital of the City of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.

²Staff Internist and Medical Intensive Care Physician, Department of Internal Medicine I and Intensive Care, Empress Elisabeth Hospital of the City of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.

 

Address correspondence and comments to Schirin M. Missaghi.

 

Received from the Department of Anesthesia and Intensive Care, Empress Elisabeth Hospital of the City of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.

 

Key Words

Tracheal intubation: Portable GlideScope Video Laryngoscope System.

Airway management: emergency situations.
 

Published: December 22, 2006.

 

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The correct citation of this correspondence is:

Missaghi SM, Martys T, Krasser K. The Portable GlideScope Video Laryngoscope System: tracheal intubation in emergency situations. Internet Journal of Airway Management 4, 2006-2007.
Available from URL: http://www.adair.at/ijam/volume04/correspondence02/default.htm
Date accessed: month day, year.

 

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Last updated: March 16, 2007.

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Within a short period of time, we became familiar and confident with the use of the GlideScope Video Laryngoscope (GVL; manufactured by Verathon Medical, Bothell, Washington, United States) (1). Despite well equipped with a difficult airway cart (containing flexible bronchoscopes and the rigid fiberoptic Bullard laryngoscope), the majority of the staff anesthetists of our department now prefer the GVL, particularly the new lower-profile version of the GVL blade [the Lo Pro Adult GlideScope Video Laryngoscope (LGVL)], as the first rescue device in situations of difficult conventional laryngoscopy and tracheal intubation in adult patients. The GVL is also incorporated into regular clinical practice for rapid-sequence induction and tracheal intubation.

 

Recently, the manufacturer released a battery-powered, portable GVL [the Portable GlideScope Video Laryngoscope System (PGVL) together with the LGVL (2)]; the PGVL may be used with the monitor placed in a hard-shell case or mounted on a mobile stand. Within a few weeks, the purchased PGVL proved to be useful at the intensive care unit and in the emergency admission area, and in remote locations within the hospital when immmediate securing of the airway by tracheal intubation (frequently in difficult situations) was required.

 

The acquisition costs of the entire PGVL and the replacement costs of the LGVL (with the video camera) are about 11200 and 5000 Euro (exclusive value-added taxes, according to the offer of the Austrian distributor, queried in January 2007), respectively. 

 

 

References

1. Krasser K, Missaghi SM, Moser A, Zadrobilek E. Evaluation of the Standard Adult GlideScope Video Laryngoscope: orotracheal intubation performed by novice users after formal instruction. Internet Journal of Airway Management 3, 2004-2005. Date accessed: March 16, 2007.

2. Krasser K, Moser A, Missaghi SM, Lackner-Ausserhofer H, Zadrobilek E. Experiences with the Lo Pro Adult GlideScope Video Laryngoscope for orotracheal intubation. Internet Journal of Airway Management 4, 2006-2007. Date accessed: March 16, 2007.