Intubating SGDs: Where Do We Stand?

Supraglottic devices (SGDs) are a staple of the anesthesia care provider’s arsenal. Beyond their routine use during general anesthetics, specific SGDs are designed to facilitate endotracheal intubation. Machado Assis and colleagues performed a meta-analysis to ascertain whether intubation success rates were different between Fastrach vs. I-gel SGDs. Their results indicate that the feasibility and ease of intubation success is greater with the Fastrach SGD unless the method for intubation employs a fiberoptic scope, in which case the I-gel appears superior. The investigators did not observe a difference in complication rate between the two devices. This infographic summarizes their findings. The reader is strongly encouraged to review the cited article for a more thorough appreciation of this topic.