Comparison of a single-use GlideScope Cobalt videolaryngoscope with a conventional GlideScope for orotracheal intubation.

摘要

BACKGROUND: This study was conceived to compare the single-use GlideScope Cobalt videolaryngoscope with the conventional GlideScope videolaryngoscope for orotracheal intubation, as judged by time to intubation (TTI) and ease of intubation. METHODS: One hundred patients with normal-appearing airways requiring orotracheal intubation for elective surgery were randomly allocated to have their tracheas intubated by a heterogeneous group of operators with the Cobalt GlideScope or the conventional GlideScope. TTI was assessed by a blinded observer. Operators were blinded until the start of laryngoscopy. A visual analogue scale (VAS) assessed the ease of intubation. The number of intubation attempts, number of failures, glottic grades, and fogging of the video screen were recorded. RESULTS: There was no difference between the median TTI of the GlideScope Cobalt and the conventional GlideScope (40.1 sec, interquartile range [IQR] 34.1, 51.3 vs 39 sec, IQR 32.6, 48.1, respectively; P = 0.75). The ease of intubation was similar between the two devices (median Cobalt VAS: 16 mm, IQR 10.8, 27.3, vs median conventional VAS: 12.5 mm, IQR 10, 20.5, respectively; P = 0.12). There were no significant differences between the two devices with respect to glottic exposure, intubation attempts, failures, or video screen fogging. CONCLUSIONS: The GlideScope Cobalt has similar performance characteristics compared with the conventional GlideScope videolaryngoscope when used for orotracheal intubation. The two devices can likely be used interchangeably. (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00459797.).