An evaluation of the modified Airway Management Device.

Summary We evaluated the modified Airway Management Device (AMD^TM ) in 60 spontaneously breathing anaesthetised patients. The insertion and removal of the device was very easy and atraumatic. The airway was secured on the first attempt in 41 patients (70%; 95% CI 57–80%). The most important problem was loss of airway, which occurred in 11 patients (19%; 11–30%) during maintenance of anaesthesia. The AMD was dislodged during maintenance in one patient. There was a loss of the airway in 12 patients (20%; 12–31%); in 10, it was maintained with simple airway manoeuvres or a laryngeal mask airway and tracheal intubation was required in two patients. Ten of these patients were male and two were female; the failure rate was 33% (12–31%) among the male patients and 6% (2–22%) among the female patients. The cuff volumes ranged from 4 ml to 80 ml and cuff pressures from 6 cm H₂ O to 92 cm H₂ O. Blood was seen on removal in three patients (6%; 2–16%) and nine patients (18%; 10–30%) experienced sore throat after removal of the device. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]