Comparing the Efficiency of Laryngeal Mask Airway and Endotracheal Tube Insertion in Airway Management in Patients Planning for Elective Orthopedic Surgery under General Anesthesia: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Objectives: The present study compared respiratory parameters between the two methods of airway establishment, ETT and LMA, for patients scheduled for orthopedic surgery with general anesthesia.

Methods: This randomized double-blinded clinical trial was conducted on patients scheduled for elective orthopedic surgery under general anesthesia, in Bandar Abbas, Iran, from January 2021 to December 2021. Using a random allocation table, the study participants were randomly divided into two groups, to employ either ETT (n=48) or LMA insertion (n=48). The study's ultimate goal was to assess the respiratory parameters in 1, 3, 5, 10, and 15 minutes following intubation.

Results: At all-time points, the average of peak airway pressure (P peak) and P plateau parameters in the ETT group was much higher than the EMA group (p<0.001 in all comparisons). The value of dynamic lung compliance in the LMA group was significantly higher than the ETT group in all considered time periods (p<0.001 in all comparisons). The upward trend in the value of this index was significant only in the LMA group (p=0.030). There were no significant differences in arterial oxygen saturation and end-tidal carbon dioxide levels between the two groups (p>0.05).

Conclusion: In terms of arterial oxygen saturation stability and at the same time providing respiratory dynamic compliance, the LMA device outperformed the ETT.