Comparison of conventional with Parker flex-tip tracheal tube for intubation through air-Q intubating laryngeal airway

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The problem of difficult and failed intubation led to increased development of equipment for airway management. A number of supraglottic airways have now been developed to facilitate the passage of tracheal tubes. Conventional PVC tracheal tubes are recommended for intubation through the air-Q ILA. No study has compared different PVC tubes for blind intubation through air-Q ILA. Thus, we undertook this prospective, randomised, single blind study to compare two PVC tracheal tubes with different designs viz. conventional PVC tracheal tube (TT) and Parker flex-tip TT with regards to success rate, ease of intubation and total time required for successful intubation through air-Q ILA. MATERIAL AND METHODS: One hundred patients of either sex, aged 18–60 years, belonging to American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status class I and II scheduled for elective surgery under general anesthesia requiring endotracheal intubation were included in the study. Blind intubation using conventional PVC TT and Parker flex-tip tube was done in group A (n = 50) and group B (n = 50), respectively. RESULTS: The first attempt success rate in Parker flex-tip TT was significantly more as compared to conventional PVC TT (P = 0.002). Success rate of intubation was significantly more in Parker flex-tip TT as compared to conventional PVC TT (P = 0.004). The intubation was significantly easy in Parker flex-tip tube as compared to conventional PVC TT (P = 0.002). Total time of intubation was less in Parker flex-tip tube as compared to PVC TT (P = 0.043). CONCLUSION: Unique design of the Parker Flex-tip TT resulted in increase in success rate, first attempt success rate and ease of intubation in group B in present study.