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ABSTRACT
Background. The Easy Tube (EzT) is a new sterile, disposable airway device approved by the European Union in February 2003 and by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in January 2005. The two-lumen design of the EzT enables it to be used as an endotracheal tube or as a supraglottic emergency airway. Objective. To report the preliminary experiences with the EzT airway device in prehospital and in-hospital emergency airway management procedures. Methods. All airway management procedures involving the EzT were recorded for a period of 18 months. Results. The EzT was successfully used to intubate 15 patients with unanticipated airway difficulties during either anesthesia induction or prehospital airway management. In all patients, the EzT was positioned successfully in the first attempt, within a median time of 31 seconds until start of ventilation. Effective supraglottic ventilation and oxygenation was achieved within 25 to 40 seconds. In three patients, the EzT needed one additional repositioning maneuver. On removal of the EzT, no blood was observed on the surface of the device, as a sign of absence of potential mucosal lesion. No injuries were observed in the mouth, pharynx, or esophagus. Conclusions. The first experiences with the use of the EzT are promising. In emergency airway management procedures presenting problems, the device successfully established sufficient ventilation and oxygenation. Further studies are needed to compare its value with those of other supraglottic devices. Key words: airway management; EasyTube; supraglottic airway; tracheal intubation.
PREHOSPITAL EMERGENCY CARE 2005;9:445-448
A new disposable airway device, the EasyTube (EzT) [Teleflex Medical (Ruesch), Kernen, Germany, and Duluth, GA], was introduced into the European market in February 20031 and approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in January 2005. The EzT is a sterile, two-lumen tube with a pharyngeal proximal cuff and a distal cuff. The device is latex-free and is available in two sizes to be used in patients from 90 to 130 cm tall (size 28 Ch [Charriere]) or above 130 cm tall (size 41 Ch).
One lumen of the EzT opens at the distal end and the other lumen serves as a supraglottic ventilation aperture between the two cuffs. The design of the pharyngeal aperture (Figure 1) allows the passage of a flexible fiberoptic bronchoscope, bougie, or suction catheter...