Background: The Spritztube is a new supraglottic airway device combining the ability to allow extraglottic ventilation of the lungs with the opportunity to perform fibreoptic-assisted intubation.
Objectives: To compare the Spritztube tracheal cannula with the Laryngeal Mask Airway Supreme (LMA-S) in anaesthetised adult patients.
Design: A single-centre, randomised controlled study.
Setting: Tertiary hospital.
Patients: Mechanically ventilated patients undergoing elective surgery in the supine position under general anaesthesia were included. Main exclusion criteria were a history of, or predicted, difficult airway management according to SIAARTI guidelines and absence of written informed consent.
Interventions: Patients received the LMA-S or Spritztube tracheal cannula to facilitate ventilation of the lungs.
Main outcome measures: Successful placement (primary outcome), time required for insertion, number of attempts, subjective assessment of ease of insertion, safety and incidence of complications were recorded.
Results: One hundred and sixty seven patients were allocated to the LMA-S or Spritztube group, respectively, a total of 334 patients. In the LMA-S group, the device insertion failed in nine patients, compared with none in the Spritztube group (P = 0.002). Spritztube insertion was easy in 100% of cases compared with 94.6% of the cases in the LMA-S group (P = 0.03). The number of attempts was significantly higher with the LMA-S compared with the Spritztube (P = 0.0007), whereas the insertion times were comparable (P = 0.06). Except for the incidence of blood-staining, which was higher in the LMA-S group (P = 0.01), the number of complications was comparable in the two groups.
Conclusion: The Spritztube was as effective as the LMA-S in maintaining the airway with all patients being successfully ventilated without difficulty. The success rate of achieving a patent airway was comparable between the groups, with a similar occurrence of complications.
Trial registration: NCT03443219.