Comparison of laryngeal mask airway & endotracheal intubation in pediatric age group: A cross sectional study

Abstract

The laryngeal mask airway, it is a supraglottic airway instrument developed by British Anesthesiologist Dr. Archie Brain. Initially it was designed only for the use in the operating room for the purpose of elective ventilation; it is a proved alternative to bag-valve-mask ventilation, freeing the hands of the provider with the benefit of less gastric distention. Initially used primarily in the operating room setting, the laryngeal mask airway has more recently come into use in the emergency situation as a very important device for the treatment of the difficult airway. The objective of the study was To compare the various parameters that occur during laryngeal mask airway insertion and endotracheal intubation for surgical procedures under general anesthesia. In the present study, 18 children’s belongs to age group of 2 to 6 years and 32 children’s belongs to age group of 7 to 10 years. Totally 29 children’s were male and 21 children’s were female. In LMA group, LMA insertion was graded easy in 97% of patient and difficult in 3% cases. In none of the case was LMA insertion impossible (0%). In the ETT group, endotracheal intubation was easy in 85% of patients and difficult in 15% of patients. In none of the patients was endotracheal intubation impossible. In the LMA group, LMA was placed correctly in the first attempt in 94% patients and was placed correctly in the 2nd attempt in 6%. The ETT was placed in the first attempt in 80% patients and was placed correctly in the 2nd attempt in 20%. According to the results of our study, laryngeal mask airway it is device of choice for elective outpatient surgeries in pediatric patients due to its lesser hemodynamic changes and complications, ease of insertion in cases where endotracheal tube insertion gets difficult and also faster insertion.