Airway Scope vs GlideScope for Intubation in Obese Patients

Comparison of GlideScope and Airway Scope for Intubating Morbidly Obese Patients: A Randomized Controlled Study

This study compares the time required to complete intubation in obese patients (Body Mass Index 40 or greater) when using either the GlideScope or Airway Scope video laryngoscope device to help place the endotracheal tube.

Study Overview

• Status: Not yet recruiting
• Conditions: Intratracheal Inbubation
• Intervention / Treatment: Device: Intubation with GlideScope; Device: Intubation with Airway Scope

Detailed Description

This is a randomized controlled trial of two video laryngoscope devices when used in patients with high (≥40) Body Mass Index (BMI): Airway Scope (Nihon Kohden) and GlideScope (Verathon Inc.). The study compares several outcomes as proxies for ease of intubation including time to complete intubation, number of attempts needed, minimum peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO2) during intubation, and number of episodes of SpO2 falling below 90% before intubation is completed. The patient population is consenting adult patients with BMI ≥40, who are already scheduled for general anesthesia. Intubations will be performed by attending anesthesiologists or anesthesiology residents. Obesity is a known risk factor for difficult intubation due to anatomical changes caused by increased soft tissue around the face and neck. Obese patients' blood oxygen level can rapidly fall during intubation because these patients often have reduced functional residual capacity, and the acuity of any complications may also be increased because these patients also often have additional comorbidities.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 70
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Yuta Kashiwagi, MD; Phone Number: 505-272-2610; Email: YKashiwagi@salud.unm.edu

Study Locations

• United States
  • New Mexico
    • Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States, 87131
      • University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center
      • Contact: Yuta Kashiwagi, MD; Phone Number: 505-272-2610; Email: YKashiwagi@salud.unm.edu

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Adult (age ≥18 years)
• Body Mass Index (BMI) ≥40
• Scheduled for surgery with general anesthesia

Exclusion Criteria:

• Pregnancy
• Congenital facial or airway anomalies
• History of major neck surgery or tracheostomy
• History of any lung diseases/conditions such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, lung resection, or lung cancer
• History of cardiac failure or myocardial infarction
• Prisoners

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: GlideScope Arm; Intubation with GlideScope	Device: Intubation with GlideScope; Intubation performed by anesthesiologist using the GlideScope video laryngoscope device
Experimental: Airway Scope Arm; Intubation with Airway Scope	Device: Intubation with Airway Scope; Intubation performed by anesthesiologist using the Airway Scope video laryngoscope device

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Intubation completion time	Time interval between the start of the intubation procedure and its completion, defined by confirmed end-tidal carbon dioxide (CO2) observation.	Perioperative/Periprocedural

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Humber of hypoxia episodes	The number of episodes of hypoxia during the intubation procedure, defined as peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO2) <90%.	Perioperative/Periprocedural
Number of intubation attempts	The count of attempts required to complete the intubation procedure, with completion defined as confirmed end-tidal CO2	Perioperative/Periprocedural
Minimum SpO2 observed during intubation	The minimum value of SpO2 observed during the intubation procedure	Perioperative/Periprocedural

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of New Mexico

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Estimated): June 1, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): March 1, 2027
• Study Completion (Estimated): March 1, 2027

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: February 24, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 2, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): March 6, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): May 5, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 28, 2026
• Last Verified: March 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Investigative Techniques; Therapeutics; Intubation
• Other Study ID Numbers: AWS vs GlideScope

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: Yes
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: No