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SUMMARY
The Streamlined Liner of the Pharyngeal Airway, SLIPA(TM) (Hudson RCI) is a new disposable supraglottic airway device that has no inflatable cuff and has features designed to reduce aspiration risk. This study aimed to assess the insertion success and effectiveness of the SLIPA(TM) in 60 patients who presented for elective surgery. Ethics committee approval was obtained. Patients were excluded if they were less than 18 years, had not provided written consent or were at risk of pulmonary aspiration. The first 20 SLIPA(TM) were inserted by the principal investigator (Group A) followed by another 40 inserted by medical officers and anaesthetists of varying experience (Group B). Twenty-one males and 39 females were recruited into the study. Median time to ventilation was 20.4 seconds in Group A (range 12.9-109) and 24.8 seconds in Group B (range 8.2-82.5). Overall success rate was 100% in Group A and 92.5% in Group B. The lowest recorded SpO^sub 2^ was 91% in Group B. The incidence of blood and sore throat score >3 (0-10 scale) was 23% and 7% respectively (Groups A and B). Group B reported that use of the device was very easy in 16%, easy in 76%, difficult in 5%, and very difficult in 3%. The SLIPA (TM) proved to be a reliable airway providing adequate ventilation in both spontaneous breathing and assisted respiration. Most users found the SLIPA (TM) to be easy or very easy to use.
Key Words: AIRWAY, PHARYNGEAL: disposable supraglottic, SLIPA(TM)
There is a need in anaesthesia for a reliable supraglottic airway device as an alternative to endotracheal intubation. The Laryngeal Mask Airway-Classic(TM) (LMA-C(TM)) (The Laryngeal Mask Co. Ltd.) was the first to be used in elective procedures and has since been recognised as a valuable rescue airway tool in emergency airway management12. It is a relatively expensive device designed for multiple uses and as such requires time-consuming maintenance procedures such as cleaning and autoclaving. Even so, cross-infection remains a risk3,5. Recently, several disposable masks similar to the LMA-C(TM) have been released; LMA-Unique(TM) (LMA Co Ltd), Soft-Seal® Laryngeal Mask (Portex), Laryngeal Airway Device (Marshall Products Ltd.), Laryngoseal(TM) (Mallinckrodt, Nellcor), Ambu® Laryngeal Mask (Ambu, U.S.A.). All these masks have a cuff that requires inflation to produce an effective seal in the hypopharynx...