Riaz Ahmed Khan, Farah Ashraf Khan, Muhammad Azam.
Comparison of the stylet and the gum elastic bougie in tracheal intubation in a simulated difficult airway.
Anesth Pain Intens Care Jan ;18(3):256-9.

Objective: To compare the stylet and the gum elastic bougie in tracheal intubation of a simulated difficult airway. Study design: Randomized control trial. Place and time period: The study was conducted in Main Operation Theatre at Rehman Medical Institute, Peshawar from June 2009 to June 2010. Method: 56 patients, ASA grades I and II, undergoing elective surgical procedures requiring tracheal intubation were randomly divided in two groups. Difficult intubation scenario was simulated by applying a rigid Philadelphia collar in both groups. Patients in Group-A were intubated with a stylet and patients in Group-B were intubated using a gum elastic bougie. Both groups were then compared in terms of overall success in intubation, and number of intubation attempts. Statistical analysis was done by applying Chi-Square test and Students’ T- test. Results: Among the patients of Group-A, only 71.4% patients were successfully intubated using a stylet while 100% patients in Group-B were successfully intubated using a bougie. Conclusion: In the simulated difficult airway, tracheal intubation using a gum-elastic bougie has a higher success rate when compared to stylet assisted intubation and should be preferred in a difficult intubation scenario.

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