Comparison Between Fekry and Air-Q Intubating Airways as Conduit for Fibreoptic Endotracheal Intubation in Adult Patients

The Air-Q Intubating Laryngeal Airway (Air-Q):

The Air-Q™ Intubating Laryngeal Airway (Air-Q) (Cookgas, St. Louis, MO, USA) is a SAD that was designed primarily to act as a conduit for the passage of a cuffed tracheal tube during tracheal intubation (1), Compared with the LMA, the Air-Q has a shorter silicon airway tube that allows an easy visualization of vocal cords and intubation and removal of the device after tracheal tube insertion. The device has a removable color coded connector, allows intubation through the airway tube. The device is also wider, C-curved and has an integrated bite block which makes it easier to place reinforces the tube and diminishes the need for a separate bite block, with an elevation ramp that facilitates intubation and directs the tube toward the laryngeal inlet. It also has a built-up mask for improved seal. All of these features facilitate the passage of the tracheal tube through the device and into the trachea.

Fekry airway (Oral Intubating Airway; Egyptian Patent 28118):

Several modifications of oropharyngeal airways aiming to allow facilitation of intubation and easy removal of the airway after placement of ETT.

In Fekry airway, modification of the Williams airway facilitates the airway removal after ETT insertion without need to remove the international part of the ETT (this reduce risk of ETT dislodgement during airway removal).

The modification made to the Williams airway is that the roof of the proximal cylindrical tunnel is opened from its upper part to allow one step insertion of the tube. There is no need for removal of the tube connector after tube insertion. It allows passage of the suction catheter and may allow oxygen insufflations through a catheter.

As mastering airway management in difficult cases is an essential job to anesthesiologist, we think it is important to find an easy adjunct to this hard job.

investigators hypothesized that Fekry airway could offer a better conduit to flexible fiberoptic intubation rather than the air-Q device, because it needs less experience in how to use, less intubation time.

Inclusion criteria

• Patients aged ≥18 years old.
• Of both sexes.
• With American Society of Anaesthesiologists (ASA) physical status class I-ll.
• Scheduled for elective surgery under general anesthesia requiring ETT placement.

Exclusion criteria

• Patient refusal.
• Patient that has any documented or suspected difficult airway or neck or upper respiratory tract abnormalities, facial deformities that invalidate Ganzouri airway score.
• Patient that has any active cardiac or chest problem and risk of aspiration.