Learning Curve of the Infant GlideScope® Cobalt Video Laryngoscope in Anesthesiology Residents

Karsli C, et al., J Anesth Clin Care 2015, 2:1

Mazen Faden1, Hossam El-Beheiry2, Carolyne Pehora3 and
Cengiz Karsli3*
1Department of Anesthesia & Critical Care, King Abdulaziz University,
Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
2Department of Anesthesia, Trillium Health Centre, Toronto, Canada
3Department of Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, The Hospital for Sick
Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada

 Cengiz Karsli, Department of Anesthesia and Pain

Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto M5G

1X8, Canada, Tel: +1 4168137341; E-mail: cengiz.karsli@sickkids.ca

 Abstract

Background

The ease of use and success rate associated with GlideScope®intubation of infant tracheas by anesthesiology residents in their first
pediatric rotation is unknown.
Objective
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the learning curve
associated with infant GlideScope® Cobalt Video Laryngoscope
intubation by anesthesiology residents compared to direct
laryngoscopy.
Methods
Sixteen anesthesiology residents who had no prior experience
with infant airway management performed a total of 10 tracheal
intubations each (5 GlideScope® and 5 direct laryngoscope,
randomized) in infants weighing 10 kg or less. Primary end points
included time to optimum view of the vocal cords and time to
tracheal intubation. Multivariate ANOVA and pair-wise comparisons
were used to analyze the data.
Results
There were no significant differences in time to optimum view of
the cords or time to intubate between the 1st and 5th intubations for
either device. Intubating conditions were similar for both devices.

Conclusion

The learning curve associated with infant GlideScope®

laryngoscopy and intubation by resident’s novice to infant airway management seems to be flat and identical to that with direct laryngoscopy.