This study was designed to compare the degree of cervical spine movement during laryngoscopy and tracheal intubation using the Belscope and Macintosh laryngoscope blades. Twenty ASA 1 and 2 patients scheduled for elective surgery requiring tracheal intubation were studied. Following induction of anaesthesia and muscle relaxation, a neutral cross-table lateral cervical spine X ray was taken. Laryngoscopy was then performed in each patient using both the Belscope and Macintosh blades. After visualisation of the vocal cords and tracheal intubation the cervical spine X ray was repeated. Movement of the cervical spine was evaluated by tracing bony landmarks on each film and then superimposing the neutral and intubating films. We were unable to demonstrate a difference in the amount of cervical spine movement comparing the two blades. Using the Belscope blade, intubation took longer (median 18 s) than the Macintosh blade (median 12 s, p < 0.01) and was unsuccessful in two patients despite adequate visualisation of the vocal cords.
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Gajraj et al. (1994) studied this question.