Airway Deadspace in Children: Air-Q Versus Endotracheal Tube

There is an increasing interest in the use of supraglottic airway devices in progressively younger and younger patients. One issue that has not been well evaluated is the contribution of these devices to airway dead space in young children and infants. Volumetric capnography is the only non-invasive technology available at the current time to evaluate airway deadspace. Volumetric capnography essentially monitors the flow of CO2 over time and from the expired waveform one can determine different respiratory parameters including dead space. This is clinically important in young children as the clinician begins to evaluate whether or not to use an endotracheal tube or supraglottic airway in these patients. To perform this investigation the study team will use volumetric capnography to examine the airway dead space associated with these devices during and elective general surgery and urologic procedures in healthy children between the ages of 0 and 6 years of age (roughly 5-20 kg).

Participants in the study will be given ETT or Air-Q as an intervention, but the investigator does not assign specific interventions to the study participants.

Inclusion criteria

• Patients between the ages of 3 months and 6 years of age weighing between 5 and 20 kg
• Patient presenting outpatient urologic or general surgery

Exclusion criteria

• History of difficult airway/intubation
• Patients suspected to have a difficult airway.
• Morbid obesity BMI >39
• Emergency status of surgery
• Patients exposed to second hand smoke
• Patients with Asthma
• Patients with a URI symptom such as nasal drainage, cough, or fever within 7 days of the date of surgery
• History of Prematurity