Comparison of tracheal intubation with the Airway Scope or Clarus Video System in patients with cervical collars

Abstract

Tracheal intubations with the Airway Scope or the Clarus Video System, a new rigid fibrescope, were compared in 140 patients whose necks were immobilised by cervical collars. The time for intubation, success rate, number of attempts and number of optimisation manoeuvres were assessed. Mean (SD) intubation time was longer with the Airway Scope (30.4 (16.5) s) than with the Clarus Video System (18.9 (15.2) s; p = 0.003) and the median (IQR [range]) number of optimisation manoeuvres was also marginally different; 0 (0-1 [0-2]) with the Airway Scope, 0 (0-0 [0-2]) with the Clarus Video System; p = 0.004. The tracheas of 67 (95.7%) and 66 (94.3%) patients were successfully intubated with the Airway Scope and the Clarus Video System, respectively (p = 1.0). The number of attempts, vital signs and complications were not different between devices. The Clarus Video System was comparable to the Airway Scope in the success rate for tracheal intubation, but provided faster and easier intubations than the Airway Scope in patients with cervical collars.