03 Jul 09
Laryngeal mask airway and other supraglottic airway devices in paediatric practice
By B Patel and R Bingham
Cont Edu Anaesth Crit Care & Pain 2009;9:6-9
Since its introduction into paediatric anaesthesia in the late 1980s, the laryngeal mask airway (LMA) has been used increasingly to provide hands-free airway management in paediatric patients. However, several disadvantages of the LMA, notably compressibility of the breathing tube and a low cuff leak pressure, have led to the development of alternative supraglottic airway devices. The present article describes the current uses and limitations of the paediatric LMA and initial experiences with some of the newer supraglottic airways in paediatric patients.