A survey assessing the procurement, storage and preferences of airway management devices by anaesthesia departments in German hospitals

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In the past decade, 'airway management' has been recognized as an important focus in clinical anaesthesia in order to improve patient safety. The aim of the study was to retrieve data regarding the procurement, storage and preferences of airway management devices (AMDs) by anaesthesia departments in German hospitals. An online questionnaire was mailed to all German hospitals listed in the German hospital register, with an appropriate e-mail address for the respective department of anaesthesia. We determined the annual number of general anaesthetic procedures performed, the availability of laryngoscope blades, supraglottic AMDs, fibreoptic scopes and endoscopic laryngoscopes, as well as alternative approaches to difficult ventilation and intubation, the preferred surgical AMDs and the preferred method in case of an expected difficult intubation. Following a reminder, 332 questionnaires (52.8%) were analysed. Apart from the Macintosh blade (100% availability), the Miller and McCoy blades were also available in some departments. The laryngeal mask airway was the most commonly used supraglottic AMD. A fibreoptic scope was available in every anaesthesia department. Other devices had only a niche role. Percutaneous tracheostomy (65%) was the preferred surgical airway access. At the time of the survey, performing a fibreoptic intubation was the method of choice in cases of an anticipated difficult intubation. The present survey regarding the availability of AMDs among German hospitals confirmed that airway management constitutes an important focus in the respondent anaesthesia departments. German hospitals seem to be well equipped with devices for the different scenarios in airway management.