As first reported by Brain 1 by the early 1980s, the laryngeal mask airway (LMA) represented a new approach to airway management. The LMA has been used to facilitate tracheal intubation by a variety of methods. In fact, the LMA has been used to intubate the patient with difficult tracheal access. A recent addition to this technique, the intubating laryngeal mask airway (ILMA), shown in Figure 1, first was proposed by Brain and coworkers in 1995. 1,2 [Display omitted] The ILMA incorporates the standard LMA cuff in sizes 3, 4, or 5, along with a metal airway tube and handle. The handle allows users to manipulate the device within the patient's airway. The airway tube component has a wider internal diameter and is shorter than the standard LMA tube. A silicone rubber bite block surrounds the upper portion of the stem.