Comparison of Video Laryngoscopy Technologies

C. Chiesa, University of Nebraska at Omaha
N. Miljkovic, University of Nebraska at Omaha
N. Schulte, University of Nebraska at Omaha
J. B. Callahan, The Peter Kiewitt Institute, Omaha, NE
D. J. Miller, University of Nebraska Medical Center
B. H. Boedeker, University of Nebraska Medical Center

Published in Journal of Medical Devices June 2009, Vol. 3 / 027507-1.

Abstract

Indirect laryngoscopy allows practitioners to “see around the corner” of a patient’s airway during intubation. Inadequate airway management is a major contributor to patient injury, morbidity and mortality. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the video quality of commercially available video laryngoscopy systems. A team of four investigators at the University of Nebraska at Omaha and the Peter Kiewit Institute performed intubation simulations using a number of video laryngoscopy systems. Testing was done with a Laerdal Difficult Airway Manikin (Laerdal Medical Corp., Wappingers Falls, NY) in a setting that simulated difficult airways, adverse lighting conditions and various system configurations (e.g., maximizing screen contrast, minimizing screen brightness, maximizing screen color hue, etc.).