Laryngoscopes in anaesthetic practice: what's available to ODPs?

Abstract

The laryngoscope is a vital piece of surgical equipment that all operating department practitioners (ODPs) need to be familiar with. It was initially developed to perform laryngoscopy, a procedure that is used to obtain a view of the vocal chords and the glottis. This is done to enable endotracheal intubation that will facilitate mechanical ventilation of a patient during a surgical procedure ( Adam and Osbourne, 2005 ). This paper will outline different types of laryngoscope blades and in what situations they may be used. Issues surrounding cross-contamination of laryngoscopes and the benefits of adopting single-use blades into practice will also be explored.