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Objective: I-gel is a noncuff type of laryngeal airway mask. No horizontal line has yet been determined as an ideal position for pediatric sizes because of the variability in length of the oropharyngeal-laryngeal arch in children. We investigated whether there is a correlation between insertion length and patient body weight or height for the pediatric I-gel sizes from 1.5 to 2.5. Methods: With parental informed consent, we planned to maintain the airway of 130 children aged from 7 months to 13 years by using the I-gel device under general anesthesia. The following two parameters were evaluated: (1) distance between the teeth and the connector wing; (2) insertion length (distance from the distal end of the gastric tube to the teeth). Size selection was determined on the basis of patients' body weight. We identified the relationship between each parameter and height or weight. Results: Average insertion length became gradually longer with increasing height and weight. Spearman's R between insertion length and height or weight was 0.8. There was more correlation with height than with weight in pediatric size 2.5. Conclusion: Results suggested that it is possible to draw an ideal line on the I-gel with sizes 1.5 and 2 only. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Insertion of a laryngeal mask airway (LMA) is occasionally difficult in children because of their anatomical features and variations. A new single-use supraglottic airway device, the i-gel airway, was recently introduced. The objective of this study was to show the initial experience of the i-gel airway device by the residents for pediatric patients. Methods: With approval from the local ethics committee and parental informed consent, 70 children undergoing minor surgery in the supine position, ASA score I-II, were investigated. Exclusion included patients having thoracic, neurosurgical, spine, and otolaryngological procedures. Patients were divided into three groups: group 1 was airway size 1.5 for patients weighing 5-12 kg, group 2 was size 2 for 10-25 kg, and group 3 was size 2.5 for those weighing 25-35 kg. The following seven characteristics were evaluated: (1) ease of the i-gel and gastric tube insertion; (2) leak pressure; (3) tidal volume/body weight at leak pressure point; (4) fiberscope score; (5) insertion time; (6) hypoxia rate (laryngospasm); and (7) coughing and trace of bleeding. Results: The overall insertion success rate and the success rate at first attempt were 99% and 94%, respectively. Gastric tube insertions were easy in all patients. The overall leak pressure was 23 ± 5 cmHO. The tidal volume per body weight was 24 ± 10 ml/kg. A good view of the fiberscope was achieved in 79%. In group 1 (size 1.5), one failed insertion, two dislocations, and one dysphonia were observed. Hypoxia rate was 1%. There was no case with coughing and trace of bleeding. Conclusion: These results show that the i-gel airway is a safe and effective device for use by residents who do not have experience with insertion of a pediatric LMA. However, using size 1.5, special caution should be taken to protect the infant airway, similar to what has been previously reported for other airway devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Outpatient inguinal herniorrhaphy (IH) can be successfully performed under general, regional, or local anesthesia. In this study recovery profile, postoperative pain scores, incidence of adverse effects, and patient and surgeon satisfaction were compared between paravertebral block (PVB) and fast-track general anesthesia (GA) via laryngeal mask airway (LMA) for outpatient IH. Methods: Sixty patients were randomly assigned to receive either PVB or GA under standardized protocols (group PVB: at T-L levels, 5 mL of 0.5% levobupivacaine for both procedures, and continuous propofol sedation; group GA: GA with 2 mg kg propofol induction and 2-4% desflurane maintenance via LMA, and routine antiemetic prophylaxis and multimodal analgesic treatment). Anesthesia-related, onset, recovery, and home discharge times, hemodynamic changes, pain, and incidence of adverse effects were compared. Results: Anesthesia-related time and onset time were longer, but recovery and home discharge times were shorter in group PVB. Verbal rating scores (VRS) at 30, 60, 120, and 180 min and 6, and 12 h post-surgery were significantly lower in group PVB patients. VRS at 18, 24, and 48 h were comparable in both groups. No patient in group PVB and eight patients in group GA needed meperidine in the post-anesthesia care unit, and time to first analgesic and first rescue analgesic requirements were significantly longer in group PVB. Conclusion: In outpatient IH, PVB with 0.5% levobupivacaine provided improved recovery, long-lasting analgesia, shorter recovery room stays, and earlier home readiness time than fast-track GA via LMA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a case of an obese patient who presented with laryngeal edema and difficult ventilation after failed attempts to intubate. A Laryngeal Mask Airway Supreme (LMA Supreme) reestablished the ventilation and allowed bronchoscope- guided intubation of the trachea. The case suggests that the LMA Supreme may be useful in patients with a difficult airway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The incidence of sore throat was evaluated among 80 healthy (ASA 1 and 2) nonpremedicated adult patients undergoing general anesthesia for general, plastic, urologic, gynecologic, and orthopedic surgery. The patients were randomly allocated in two groups: group one ( n=39) consisted of patients in whom the airway was maintained by a laryngeal mask, and in group 2 ( n=40), orotracheal intubation was performed. Both groups were similar in age, gender, site of surgery, and time of airway cannulation. Intraperitoneal surgery of the upper abdomen, and insertion of a nasogastric tube were exclusion criteria. The severity of sore throat was graded by the patients themselves using a visual analogue 100 mm scale, varying from 0 (no sore throat) to 10 (extremely sore). The sore throat incidence, severity and duration were significantly lower in the laryngeal mask group in comparison with the endotracheal intubation group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

66-year-old woman was scheduled for resection of a recurrent brain astrocytoma. During anesthesia induction, endotracheal intubation became impossible. Urgent bronchoscopy under laryngeal mask ventilation visualized a subglottic web 1 cm below the vocal cords. After bronchoscopic ablation with argon plasma coagulation, the airway intubation was successful. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]