Difficult airway management practice changes after introduction of the GlideScope videolaryngoscope: A retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND Introduction of the GlideScope videolaryngoscope caused a change in use of other devices for difficult airway management. OBJECTIVE The influence of the GlideScope videolaryngoscope on changes in the indications for and the frequency of use of flexible fibreoptic-assisted intubation and other difficult airway management techniques. DESIGN Retrospective cohort study. SETTING Tertiary care referral centre. METHODS Two periods of equal length (647 days each) before and after introducing the GlideScope were compared. Information about patients who were intubated using nondirect laryngoscopic techniques were analysed. Data were retrieved from the anaesthesia and hospital information management systems. RESULTS Difficult airway management techniques were used in 235/8306 (2.8%) patients before and in 480/8517 (5.6%) (P 
Source: European Journal of Anaesthesiology - Category: Anesthesiology Tags: Airway management Source Type: research