A Prospective Comparison of the Airway Deadspace Associated With the Air-Q® and Endotracheal Tube Using Volumetric Capnography in Young Children

There is an increasing interest in the use of supraglottic airway devices in progressively younger and younger patients. One issue that has not been well evaluated is the contribution of these devices to airway dead space in young children and infants. Volumetric capnography is the only non-invasive technology available at the current time to evaluate airway deadspace. Volumetric capnography essentially monitors the flow of CO2 over time and from the expired waveform one can determine different respiratory parameters including dead space. This is clinically important in young children as the clinician begins to evaluate whether or not to use an endotracheal tube or supraglottic airway in these patients. To perform this investigation the study team will use volumetric capnography to examine the airway dead space associated with these devices during and elective general surgery and urologic procedures in healthy children between the ages of 0 and 6 years of age (roughly 5-20 kg).

Participants in the study will be given ETT or Air-Q as an intervention, but the investigator does not assign specific interventions to the study participants.