A comparison of fibreoptic-guided tracheal intubation through the Ambu ® Aura-i ™, the intubating laryngeal mask airway and the i-gel ™: a manikin study

Abstract

We compared the Aura-i(™) , intubating laryngeal mask airway and i-gel(™) as conduits for fibreoptic-guided tracheal intubation in a manikin. Thirty anaesthetists each performed two tracheal intubations through each device, a total of 180 intubations. The median (IQR [range]) time to complete the first intubation was 40 (31-50 [15-162]) s, 37 (34-48 [25-75]) s and 28 (22-35 [14-59]) s for the Aura-i, intubating laryngeal mask airway and i-gel, respectively. Tracheal intubation through the i-gel was the quickest (p < 0.01). Resistance to railroading of the tracheal tube over the fibrescope was significantly greater through the Aura-i compared with the intubating laryngeal mask airway and the i-gel (p = 0.001). There were no failures to intubate through the intubating laryngeal mask airway or the i-gel but six intubation attempts through the Aura-i were unsuccessful, in five owing to a railroading failure and in one owing to accidental oesophageal intubation. We conclude that the Aura-i does not perform as well as the intubating laryngeal mask airway or the i-gel as an adjunct for performing fibreoptic-guided tracheal intubation.