i-gel® from Intersurgical: clinical evidence listing

Theiler LG, Kleine-Brueggeney M, Kaiser D, Urwyler MD, Luyet C, Vogt A, Greig R, Unibe MME. Anesthesiology 2009; 111(1): 55-62

This study looked at a simulated difficult airway scenario by using a neck collar to limit both mouth opening and neck movement. Both devices were placed in random order in each of 60 patients. The primary outcome was overall success rate. Other measurements included time to successful ventilation, seal pressure, fibreoptic view and adverse events.The authors concluded the two devices tested had a ‘similar insertion success and clinical performance in the simulated difficult airway situation’. The i-gel® enabled better fibreoptic laryngeal view and less epiglottic downfolding.

Link to abstract.

Saissy J-M, Boussignac G, Cheptel E, Rouvin B, Fontaine D, Bargues L, Levecque J-P, Michel A, Brochard L. Anesthesiology 2000; 92(6): 1523-30

Adult patients who had suffered nontraumatic OHCA with asystole were randomised into two groups: an IPPV group tracheally intubated with a standard tube and a continuous insufflation of air or oxygen (CIO) through microcannulas inserted into a modified endotracheal tube at a rate of 15l/min. Both groups underwent active cardiac compression-decompression with a device. Resuscitation continued for a maximum of 30 minutes, with blood gas analysis taken once stable spontaneous cardiac activity restored. Results for both groups were comparable. Arterial blood gas measure taken upon admission to hospital showed that partial pressure of arterial carbon dioxide was significantly lower in the CIO group, but pH was significantly higher. Authors conclude CIO is as effective as IPPV during OHCA.

Abstract text