Comparison of endotracheal intubation in lateral position with Macintosh laryngoscope versus AirTraq video laryngoscope

Securing the airway is primary and essential skill for anesthesiologist. Many times patients’ needs to be intubated in lateral position. The alignment of the oral, pharyngeal and laryngeal axis is not possible in lateral position. So glottis view might be subnormal in this position which can make intubation difficult. For anesthesiologist learning intubation in lateral position is an important skill to develop expert airway management specialist skill.

Airtraq is having mirror and prism which reflects the image and the image is visible in viewfinder or video monitor. airtraq does not require alignment oral, pharyngeal and laryngeal axis and it gives high quality and wide view of glottis with surrounding structure.

So it is presumed that airtraq might be helpful in making intubation successful   in lateral position. There are many studies which compared different video laryngoscope with Macintosh laryngoscope for intubation in lateral position.

There is hardly one study which has evaluated airtraq for intubation in lateral position