Macintosh Laryngoscope Assisted Flexible Fiber Optic Endotracheal Intubation Versus Classic Fiber Optic Laryngoscope Alone Endotracheal Intubation for Modified Mallampati III&IV Patients : A Prospective Randomized Controlled Study

Managing difficult airway is critical for anesthesia-related morbidity and mortality. Fiberoptic laryngoscope is a reliable tool for endotracheal intubation in difficult airway cases (Modified Mallampatti III&IV), but always there is difficulty to visualize the glottis due to airway tendency to collapse, classically a specific fiberoptic airway with a side way is used and it may added head tilt chin lift jaw thrust. A new technique utilizing sevoflurane anesthesia to maintain the respiratory drive without exposing the patient to the stress of the awake airway instrumentation. Simultaneous utilization of both Macintosh curved laryngoscope and Fiberoptic bronchoscope during Endotracheal intubation (ETT) will be examined for the efficacy during difficult airway management.

All patients should be examined preoperatively for the scoring Modified Mallampati or non tongue protrusion mallampati (NT-MMT) airway score. The pharyngeal structures were then evaluated and the best view (lowest class) was recorded. The classification follows m-MMT and is as follows: class 1, full visibility of tonsils, uvula, and soft palate; class 2, visibility of hard and soft palate, upper portion of tonsils and uvula; class 3, visibility of the soft and hard palate and base of the uvula; and class 4, visibility of only the hard palate, class III or IV patients were included in the study. Inhalational anesthesia use maintains the respiratory drive of the patient allowing less stressful technique.