The Effect of McGrath Video Laryngoscope on the Glottic View at Thyroid Surgery Position

For thyroid surgery, the special body position (thyroid surgical position) to exposure the patient's neck should be needed. For intraoperative neuromonitoring (IONM) in thyroid surgery, the tube should be placed at a specific position. A video laryngoscope can have advantages in tracheal intubation on thyroid surgical position for thyroid surgery. The purpose of the study is to investigate the effect of McGrath video laryngoscope on the glottic view when tracheal intubation is performed at the thyroid surgical position.

For thyroid surgery, the special body position (thyroid surgical position) to exposure the patient's neck should be needed. Meanwhile, the tracheal tube can be moved in the trachea from the supine position to thyroid surgical position if tracheal intubation is performed at the supine position. For intraoperative neuromonitoring (IONM) in thyroid surgery, the electrode of the tracheal tube must be placed at a specific position, that is between the vocal cords. To perform initially tracheal intubation on the thyroid surgical position, therefore, can have advantage in terms of stability of tube position in the trachea without displacement by body position change. However, tracheal intubation on thyroid surgical position might be hard in terms of obtaining a good glottic view. It is well known that video laryngoscopes can improve the glottic view. Therefore, a video laryngoscope can have advantages in tracheal intubation on thyroid surgical position for thyroid surgery in obtaining the good glottic view as well as minimal displacement of the tracheal tube because there is no need to change the patient's position. The purpose of the study is to investigate the effect of McGrath video laryngoscope on the glottic view when tracheal intubation is performed at the thyroid surgical position.