Comparison of Intubation Difficulty Score between Macintosh Laryngoscopy and Airtraq Optical Laryngoscopy

BACKGROUND: Intubation Difficulty Score is one of the best parameter to evaluate the factors related to difficult intubation. Which having 7 variable including glottic exposure as defined by Cormack .This score assessed during laryngoscopy. Purpose of this study is to evaluate efficacy by comparing Intubation Difficulty Score. OBJECTIVES: To compare the efficacy of Airtraq optical laryngoscopes to conventional Macintosh laryngoscopes for ease of intubation by comparing the Intubation Difficulty Scores of both laryngoscopes. METHODOLOGY: Total of 60 patients were selected, 30 patients belonged to group-1 for macintosh laryngoscopy, other 30 patients belonged to thegroup-2 for Airtraq intubation. Excluding the patients with difficult airway, compromised airway, Morbid obesity, Mallampatti grade 3 & 4, American Society of Anesthesiologist physical status III & IV, Patient with airway sharing surgery such as Tonsil, Thyriod surgery, Patient with emergency surgery,Pregnant patients, Healthy volunteers not satisfying inclusion criteria, Severe cardiovascular, hepatic or renal disease, mental illness, Need for nasal intubation, Prolonged surgery > 2 hrs. IDS scoreswere estimated for all and compare both groups. RESULTS: When compare both groups, IDS score is lower in Airtraq group, intubation time is shorter in Airtraq group, hemodynamic parameters during intubation is more acceptable in Airtraq group, post op complication also less in airtraq group than macintosh group. CONCLUSION: Airtraq laryngoscopy can be used as an effective alternate to Macintosh laryngoscopy in patient undergoing elective surgery.