i-gel® from Intersurgical: clinical evidence listing

Melissopoulou T, Stroumpoulis K, Sampanis M A, Vrachnis N, Papadopoulos G, Chalkias A, Xanthos T. Heart Lung. 2014 Mar-Apr; 43(2): 112-6

A group of 45 nurses inserted the i-gel® and ILMA in a manikin with and without continuous chest compressions. ILMA proved more successful than the i-gel®, but continuation of compressions caused higher insertion times in both devices. Authors conclude that nursing staff can use both devices ‘as conduits with comparable success rates, regardless of whether chest compressions are interrupted or not’.

Link to abstract

Häske D, Schempf B, Gaier G, Niederberger C. Resuscitation 2013; 84(9): 1229-32

This observational study of i-gel® use during CPR assessed ease of insertion, ventilation quality, leak and whether ventilation was possible without chest compression interruption. Insertions were attempted by 63 paramedics and seven emergency physicians in pre-hospital CPR, with an overall 90% first-attempt insertion success rate. Insertion was reported as easy in 80% of cases, with the same figure representing cases with no leak recorded. In 74% of cases, continuous chest compression was still possible. The authors say that, ‘the i-gel is an easy supraglottic device to insert and enables adequate ventilation during CPR’.

Link to abstract

Ruetzler K, Gruber C, Nabecker S, Wohlfarth P, Priemayr A, Frass M, Kimberger O, Sessler D, Roessler B. Resuscitation 2011; 82(8): 1060-1063

After an audio-visual lecture and practical demonstration, 40 voluntary emergency medical technicians with limited airway management experience were recruited to perform airway management with six devices, including the i-gel®, during sustained compressions on manikins. Hands-off time was significantly longer when inserting a traditional endotracheal tube, whereas the supraglottic devices were inserted successfully on each occasion.

Link to abstract.