A COMPARISON BETWEEN THE EFFICACY OF BLOCKBUSTER LARYNGEAL MASK AIRWAY AND i-GEL IN PAEDIATRIC SURGERIES – A PROSPECTIVE RANDOMIZED STUDY

Background and Aims: Supraglottic airway devices have time and again proved that they are a safe and efcient alternative to endotracheal tube in general anaesthetic procedures lasting for a short time even in the paediatric population. The aim of our study was to compare the efcacy of the well-known i-Gel and the newer Blockbuster LMA in anesthetized paediatric patients. Material and Methods:Eighty paediatric patients who received general anaesthesia for less than 120 minutes were randomly divided into two groups of 40 patients each. In one group, Blockbuster LMA (BLMA group) was inserted and in the other group i-GEL ( i-GEL group) was inserted. Standard anaesthesia protocol was followed and the supraglottic airway device was inserted. We compared the time needed for insertion, ease of insertion and airway sealing pressure. Results: There were no signicant differences in demographic data. However, the ease of insertion was better in the BLMA group. The mean insertion time was 1.08 minutes ± 0.59 in the Blockbuster LMA group while it was 2.63 minutes ± 1.27 in the i-Gel group ,p value being <0.0001. Similarly, in the BLMA group, most of the patients had the device inserted successfully without any additional maneuvers.The p value being st <0.0001. In 88% of the patients of the BLMA group, airway was secured in the 1 attempt where as in 47% of the patients in the i-GEL group, airway st was secured in the 1 attempt. p value is 0.001. But, the oropharyngeal leak pressure(OLP) was found to be higher in the i-GEL group, Mean values being 30.10 ± 4.96 cm of H 0 in the i-GEL group compared to 21.20 ± 2.46 cm of H 0 in the BLMA. Block Conclusion: buster LMA is good alternative to i-GEL as an airway device for short surgeries in the paediatric populations.