Evaluation of the Ambu ® aScope® for Tracheal Intubation in Difficult Airways

December 13, 2013 updated by: Patrick Schoettker,MD PD, University of Lausanne Hospitals

Evaluation of the Ambu ® aScope® for Tracheal Intubation During Cervical Spine Immobilization With a Cervical Collar, in Comparison With a Conventional Reusable Fiberscope.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate a disposable fiberscope (Ambu ® aScope®) for tracheal intubation in difficult airways due to cervical immobilization by a cervical collar, and compare it to a conventional reusable fiberscope.

Study Overview

Detailed Description

Any general anesthesia requiring tracheal intubation for controlled ventilation includes the likelihood of intubation failure and, in case of difficult or impossible mask ventilation, can be life-threatening. In patients with diagnosed or suspected disease of the cervical spine, airway control can be tricky. Indeed, the cervical collar used to secure the cervical spine makes direct laryngoscopy impossible. In elective surgery, the most commonly used technique is fiberoptic intubation, achievable without removing of the cervical collar.

A new disposable fiberscope was recently developed by Ambu ®: the aScope®. It consists of a disposable flexible fiberscopic device, whose distal end is fitted with a camera that can be directed. This device is connected to a separate reusable LCD display. The aScope® is used as a conventional flexible fiberscope to guide the instrumentation of the airway.

With the exception of case reports, all studies of this device in difficult conditions were performed on mannequins.

The investigators propose to assess and validate this device on real patients with difficult airways caused by a rigid cervical collar and compare intubation conditions and time to the gold standard technique, the classical reusable fiberscope.

Induction of general anesthesia is performed by the anesthesiologist responsible for the patient, according to the standards in the anesthesiology department.

The cervical collar is fitted and positioned once the patient is asleep in addition to a dedicated oropharyngeal cannula (Ovassapian fiberoptic intubating airway cannula) in order to guide the aScope® or fiberscope in the oropharynx. The timer is activated once the investigating physician takes the aScope® or fiberscope in his hands. The device is advanced into the airway with visual control on the LCD screen for the aScope® or on an external dedicated screen for the fiberscope. Once in the trachea, the device will serve as a guide for introduction of the orotracheal tube, according to standard fiberscopic intubation technique. Tracheal intubation is confirmed through visualization of the distal end of the tube into the trachea, the onset of an end tidal CO2 curve and auscultation. The timer will be stopped at the onset of the end tidal CO2 curve.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

100

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

    • Vaud
      • Lausanne, Vaud, Switzerland, 1011
        • University of Lausanne Hospitals

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

16 years and older (Child, Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Patients older than 16 years
  • ASA 1-2
  • BMI < 35 kg/m2
  • Surgery requiring general anesthesia with intubation of the trachea

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Emergency operation
  • Patient ASA 3 or more
  • BMI above 35 kg/m2
  • History of difficult airways
  • History of surgery or radiotherapy in head and neck
  • Presence of gastro esophageal reflux

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: Ambu ® aScope®
Active Comparator: a conventional reusable fiberscope.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Effectiveness of the Ambu ® aScope® for tracheal intubation in difficult airways.
Time to reach the carina and Time to obtain an end tidal CO2 curve by aScope in comparison to conventional reusable fiberscope.

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start

June 1, 2011

Primary Completion (Actual)

November 1, 2011

Study Completion (Actual)

November 1, 2011

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

November 8, 2011

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

November 8, 2011

First Posted (Estimate)

November 9, 2011

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimate)

December 16, 2013

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

December 13, 2013

Last Verified

December 1, 2013

More Information

Terms related to this study

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 88/11

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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