Laryngoscopie directe: LA BASE

Videolaryngoscopy in trauma

Eggleton A. Anaesthesia 2015, 70, 1454–1466

In their paper on airway management in cervical spine injury [1], focusing on videolaryngoscopy, Duggan and Griesdale mention characteristics that predispose to failure of videolaryngoscopy, including anatomical abnormality, local scarring, radiotherapy, and airway masses. An additional factor worth considering, especially in the context of trauma, is the impact of oropharyngeal blood on the videolaryngoscopic view, which can obscure the larynx or camera lens and obstruct the light source, reducing illumination. Recent personal experiences with a McGrath
MAC videolaryngoscope (Aircraft Medical, Edinburgh, UK) found that dried blood lining the oropharynx reduced reflection, producing a dull on-screen image, requiring conversion to direct laryngosc opy. It seems likely that videolaryngoscopy will replace direct laryngoscopy as the standard method of intubation, but the auth ors are correct in saying it will remain necessary to maintain ski lls in both techniques.

Reference

1. Duggan LV, Griesdale DEG. Secondary cervical spine injury during airway management: beyond a one-size-fits-all

approach. Anaesthesia 2015; 70: 769–73