Comparison of Bed up Head Elevated Intubation Position With Glidescope Assisted Tracheal Intubation

Overview

Positioning during the process of tracheal intubation is critical, as optimal positioning can greatly facilitate successful intubation. Many complications can occur as a result of failed intubation, ranging from airway injury, lack of oxygen, with even deaths. Today, the most popular positioning of patients for intubation is in the "sniffing" position. There is however evidence to support that intubation in the bed-up-head-elevated position may be better. In today's technological age, video assisted laryngoscopy (Laryngoscopy is the process of visualizing the vocal cords prior to intubation), a new method where the anaesthetist intubates a patient via aid of an image guided view of the airway, is increasingly popular due to its reliability and superiority to normal intubation. However, it is not widely available, and may suffer from technical breakdowns. The Glidescope is one example of a video laryngoscope, and has been widely researched in the medical literature. In this study, the investigators wish to investigate whether intubation in the bed-up-head-elevated position will be as good as, if not better than Glidescope assisted tracheal intubation, in patients undergoing elective surgery and planned for general anaesthesia.

Conditions