Efficacy of Coopdech videolaryngoscope: comparisons with a Macintosh laryngoscope and the Airway Scope in a manikin with difficult airways

Abstract

We studied the efficacy of the Coopdech videolaryngoscope Portable VLP-100, by comparing it with a Macintosh laryngoscope, and another videolaryngoscope, the Airway Scope (AWS), in a manikin with four simulated difficult airways. In a randomized, crossover design, each of 50 residents inserted the three devices, in turn, and graded the view of the glottis at laryngoscopy. Time to see the glottis, time to intubate the trachea, and the success rate of tracheal intubation (within 120s) were recorded. In all situations, the AWS provided a significantly shorter time to see the glottis. In a manikin with tongue edema, the AWS was associated with a significantly higher success rate of intubation than the VLP-100 and the Macintosh laryngoscope (P<0.05). In a manikin with cervical spine rigidity or pharyngeal obstruction, the AWS and the VLP-100 provided significantly higher success rates of intubation than the Macintosh laryngoscope (P<0.05). In a manikin with laryngospasm, no one could intubate the trachea using any device. Our results indicate that, in patients with difficult airways, the videolaryngoscopes (VLP-100 and AWS) would provide higher success rates of tracheal intubation than the Macintosh laryngoscope, but the VLP-100 may be inferior to the AWS.