Comparing the intubation effectiveness of two different laryngoscopes in patients with cerebral palsy

Objective: In patients with expected airway difficulties, specific preparatory and auxiliary equipment is required before general anesthesia. The aim of this study was to compare the intubation efficacy of Macintosh laryngoscope with that of the McGrath MAC video laryngoscope in patients with cerebral palsy.

Materials and Methods: The study was conducted in forty patients (aged 4-15) with cerebral palsy who were scheduled to undergo dental treatment. Intubations were performed in patients randomly assigned to the McGrath MAC video laryngoscope or the Macintosh laryngoscope. The characteristics of the patients, mean arterial blood pressure, heart rate, end-tidal carbon dioxide, and peripheral oxygen saturation were measured. The intubation success, intubation time, Cormack and Lehane grades, number of trials, need for neck extension, and complications were recorded.

Results: When both groups were compared in terms of the glottic view, intubation time, and need for neck extension, there was no significant difference (p = 0.542, p = 0.779, and p = 1.000, respectively). All the intubations were performed successfully at the first attempt in both groups, and no complications were recorded.

Conclusion: Although our study included patients with cerebral palsy, in which musculoskeletal anomalies are common, sufficient muscle relaxation for intubation after general anesthesia was achieved in all the patients. There was no evidence of intubation difficulty in either group of patients, and cerebral palsy, with its existing deformities, did not affect the intubation success or complication rate. No additional advantages of using video laryngoscopy in patients with cerebral palsy were found.