Nasotracheal Intubation Using the Airtraq Versus Macintosh Laryngoscope: A Manikin Study

The Airtraq laryngoscope is a new intubation device that provides a non-line-of-sight view of the glottis. We evaluated this device by comparing the ease of nasotracheal intubation on a manikin with the use of Airtraq versus the Macintosh laryngoscope with and without Magill forceps. Nasotracheal intubation on a manikin was performed by 20 anesthesiologists and 20 residents with the Airtraq or Macintosh laryngoscope. The mean (+/- SD) time required for nasotracheal intubation by the residents was significantly shorter with the Airtraq laryngoscope than with the Macintosh laryngoscope (16 +/- 7 sec vs 22 +/- 10 sec; P < .001), but no difference in intubation time was observed between Airtraq (15 +/- 11 sec) and Macintosh (13 +/- 6 sec) laryngoscopy by the anesthesiologists. The Magill forceps was used more frequently to facilitate intubation with the Macintosh laryngoscope than with the Airtraq laryngoscope in both groups of operators (P < .001). [corrected] The Airtraq laryngoscope scored better on the visual analog scale than did the Macintosh laryngoscope in both groups of operators (P < .05). The Airtraq laryngoscope offers potential advantages over standard direct laryngoscopy for nasotracheal intubation.