3D printing of a low-cost videolaryngoscope for tracheal intubation

Videolaryngoscopes have been designed to improve the success rate of tracheal intubation on the first attempt; however, their high cost, especially in low- and middle-income countries, is a major disadvantage. Considering the clinical importance of this device, the Engineering School in partnership with the Anesthesiology Department developed a videolaryngoscope using three-dimensional (3D) printing technology at a more affordable cost. The methodology consisted of three stages: prospecting, modeling and prototyping, and realistic simulation on airway mannequins. The primary objective was to describe the creation and development process of the prototypes. The secondary objective was to determine the final production cost. This was an applied project utilizing an exploratory and descriptive approach. The study was developed during the COVID-19 pandemic, between May 2020 and June 2021, at the School of Engineering and in the realistic simulation room at the university hospital. Ten prototypes were produced before the final product, and they were subjected to strength and bending tests and evaluated on airway training mannequins to simulate the procedure conducted by anesthesiologists. As a result, we obtained a resistant, and low-cost device, named VLG3DUFF.