i-gel® from Intersurgical: clinical evidence listing

A comprehensive list of all known published clinical evidence on the device

Current practice patterns of supraglottic airway device usage in paediatric patients amongst anaesthesiologists: A nationwide survey.

Jain RA, Parikh DA, Malde AD, Balasubramanium B. Indian J Anaesth. 2018 Apr;62(4):269-279

This survey was sent to over 16,000 members of the Indian Society of Anaesthesiologists and given to delegates at the Asian Society of Paediatric Anaesthesiologists conference 2017. Percentage, mean and standard deviation were calculated. Results showed i-gel was the most commonly used device (60%) and 75% of respondents had access to second-generation supraglottic airways.

Link to abstract.

National census of airway management techniques used for anaesthesia in the UK: first phase of the Fourth National Audit Project at the Royal College of Anaesthetists

Woodall NM, Cook TM. Br J Anaesth 2011; 106 (2): 266-271

There are 309 NHS hospitals that carry out surgery. In this study, a volunteer from each of these hospitals reported the main airway management technique used in every general anaesthetic within a specified two-week period. This data was then used to estimate the annual use of various airway devices. The total number of procedures was 114,904, leading to an annual estimate of 2.9 million. Supraglottic airways were used in 56.2% of cases. The i-gel® was the second most popular choice of supraglottic airway with 4,574 cases. This equates to 7.1% of supraglottic airways and 4% of all devices used.

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Supraglottic airway devices: recent advances

Cook T, Howes B. CEACCP 2010; 11 (2): 56-61

This review article looks at the evidence for the efficacy of supraglottic airway devices. The authors use the cLMA as a standard for comparison. The ProSealTM, i-gel®, LMA Supreme® and LTS Mk. IITM are all discussed. Most of the i-gel® literature is positive and shows a high level of successful use. However, more clinical trials need to take place in order to confirm these findings.

Link to abstract.

What’s new in supraglottic airways? Three decades of evolution to tract separation

Viernes DC, Joffe AM, Goldman AJ. Anaesthesiology News Guide to Airway Management 2010; 9-14

This paper describes the history of the gastric channel in supraglottic airways, providing case reports and performance comparisons between devices. The section on the i-gel® states that the device has inferior seal pressure compared to the LMA Proseal®, but that drainage through the gastric channel was comparable. The i-gel® is quicker and easier to place than standard LMAs. A case report is included which describes the successful use of a size five i-gel® in a 63-year-old man with a difficult airway.

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Insertion of the i-gel® airway in prone position

Taxak S, Gopinath A. Minerva Anestesiol 2010; 76(5): 381

This case study describes the use of the i-gel® while the patient was in a prone position for surgery. A 45kg 16-year-old boy laid in a prone position with his head turned laterally. After induction of anaesthesia, a size three i-gel® was inserted on the first attempt. There were no adverse events either during or after surgery and the i-gel® was removed while the patient was still prone. Previous research has shown that the cLMA and ProSealTM airways can be inserted in the prone position, and i-gel®s have successfully ventilated prone patients who were turned over after insertion. However, this is the first reported case of i-gel® insertion while the patient is already prone. Routine use of this technique should only occur after further research has taken place.

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