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Aim: The study aims to compare the performances (ease of insertion, time to establish effective ventilation and maximal inflation pressure) of classic™ (cLMA), ProSeal™ (PLMA) and Supreme™ (SLMA) Laryngeal Mask Airway when used in a neonatal airway management manikin by inexperienced delivery room trainees. The quality of the three devices, as perceived by participants, was also evaluated., Methods: Health-care professional trainees were given a brief supervised training with the three devices. Every trainee was then observed positioning each of the three different LMAs in a single occasion. Success rate, time (IT) and maximal inflation pressure (PI(max)) were recorded by a single unblinded observer. A 4-point scale was used to rate participants' perceived quality., Results: A total of 40 health-care professional trainees participated in the study. There were five, three and one failed insertions at the first attempt with the cLMA, PLMA and SLMA, respectively. No failures to establish an effective airway within three attempts were recorded. The success rate at first attempt was comparable among the three devices. The mean IT was significantly lower with the SLMA as compared with PLMA (p<0.01), but not to cLMA. The mean PI(max) was higher with SLMA than with cLMA and PLMA (p<0.01). The ease of insertion as well as the effectiveness of ventilation were perceived by the participants as superior with SLMA as compared with cLMA and PLMA (p<0.01)., Conclusions: Neonatal SLMA is superior to PLMA in terms of time to establish effective ventilation; furthermore, maximal inflation pressure and quality perceived by the operator are higher with neonatal SLMA than with cLMA and PLMA. These manikin data could provide a useful guide for planning potential future clinical research involving the newly developed supraglottic device in neonates., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: When compared with the Classic laryngeal mask airway (cLMA), the recently introduced ProSeal laryngeal mask airway (PLMA) has modified features to produce higher airway seal pressures and enable ventilation in circumstances where the cLMA might fail. The first neonatal size 1 PLMA recently became available. This study was designed to compare the effectiveness of the size 1 cLMA and PLMA during positive pressure ventilation in anesthetized neonates and infants., Methods: Forty-six consecutive patients undergoing elective cardiac surgical procedures were randomized for initial airway management with the cLMA or PLMA. Insertion time (IT), number of placement attempts, ease of placement, quality of the initial airway, maximum tidal volume (TVmax), and airway pressure at which an audible leak in the mouth (P(leak)) occurred were collected. All data were recorded before performing tracheal intubations., Results: IT and success rate were similar for both LMAs. The initial quality of the airway was significantly better for the PLMA (P<0.05). TVmax and P(leak) were significantly higher for PLMA (77 vs 58 ml, P<0.02 and 29.8 vs 24.4 cm H2O, P<0.02). No adverse events were recorded during the study., Conclusions: The size 1 PLMA forms a more effective seal than size 1 cLMA in neonates. This might allow the PLMA to be used in those newborn infants requiring high airway pressures for ventilation.

Background: Neonatal resuscitation is a mandatory skill for healthcare professionals involved in maternity suites. For ethical reasons, it is impossible to teach and practice airway management skills on neonates, and manikins are used for this purpose. The Classic Laryngeal Mask Airway TM (cLMA) is accepted as an effective device for airway management during neonatal resuscitation. A neonatal size of the LMA-ProSeal (PLMA) was recently produced, but there are no comparative data on its performance. We describe the comparison of the performances of the neonatal cLMA and the neonatal PLMA when used by different healthcare professionals in a dedicated airway management manikin., Methods: Thirty-five healthcare professionals, were given a brief description of the two devices followed by 15 min of supervised insertions on a single manikin. Every trainee was then instructed to insert both devices four times. The time from insertion to the first inflation of the artificial lungs (insertion time, IT) was recorded by a single unblinded observer., Results: No failed insertions were recorded. The success rates of the first attempt were higher with the PLMA than the cLMA (97.1% vs 92.1%; P<0.01). The mean+/-sd (range) IT was significantly lower with the cLMA compared with the PLMA [10.47+/-2.85 (6-22) s vs 11.34+/-2.5 (7-18) s; P<0.01]. The mean+/-sd (range) IT of the cLMA was 12.31+/-3.54 (7-22) s for the first positioning and 9.2+/-2.34 (6-16) s for the fourth (P<0.01). The mean+/-sd (range) IT of the PLMA was 12.71+/-2.52 (8-18) s for the first positioning and 10.17+/-2.28 (7-14) s for the fourth (P<0.01). There were no significant differences among groups., Conclusions: Both LMAs are easy to insert by different delivery-room workers. PLMA (with the introducer tool) has a higher success rate at first attempt than cLMA. Manikin ventilation was established equally without difference in performance among doctors, nurses, midwives. A brief manikin-training reduces the IT significantly. The longer IT of PLMA vs cLMA is without clinical relevance.