Annapurna Sarma Bhamidipati, Subbalakshmi T. D. P, Srinivasa Rao Tatavarti
INTRODUCTION: Expert airway management is the most essential requirement of an anesthesiologist. Difficult and failed intubation is the leading causes of anesthetic related morbidity and mortality. AIM OF STUDY: The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of McCoy laryngoscope and McGrath video laryngoscope in tracheal intubation in patients using Manual in-line stabilization (MILS) for cervical spine injury. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was conducted in King George Hospital, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh on 60 patients aged 20–70, of American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status I–III, posted for elective surgery for cervical spine injury under general anesthesia. The patients were assigned to two groups. One group was named as MC where McCoy laryngoscope was used, other group named as MG, where McGrath video laryngoscope was used for laryngoscopy during tracheal intubation. Two groups were compared on the basis of demographic data, airway examination, comparison of visualization of vocal cords with McCoy laryngoscope and video laryngoscope and comparison of laryngoscope time. RESULTS: There was no significant difference between male and female sex. Most of the patients falls into Mallampati score I (60%), followed by score II and III (25 and 14% respectively). Statistically highly significant improvement in laryngoscope view was noted with video laryngoscope than with McCoy laryngoscope with Chi-square value=49.52; DF=10; p-value=0.000(highly significant). Statistically highly significant difference was seen in effective laryngoscopy time of McCoy and Video laryngoscope. CONCLUSION: We conclude McGrath video laryngoscope is superior to McCoy laryngoscope in terms of providing better intubating conditions in patients requiring MILS, though there is a little prolongation of effective laryngoscope time
