Background: The management of airway in a paediatric patient is an important concern of anesthesiologist. Endotracheal tube (ET) is always considered a gold standard but it has several demerits. Recently ProSeal LMA (PLMA) was introduced to clinical practice with additional advantages over ET and LMA. Hence the present study was undertaken to compare PLMA with ET for airway management in paediatric patients requiring elective surgery under general anaesthesia in terms of attempts of insertion, haemodynamic parameters and perioperative complications.

Method: A total 90 patients of either sex, of ASA grade I/II, age between 2-10 years were enrolled and randomly allocated to Group P (n=45)- PLMA used to establish airway (Size 2) and Group E (n=45)- Endotracheal intubation done to establish airway.

Results:  The 1st attempt success rate for placement of airway device was 95.56% in group P and 97.78% in group E, (p>0.05). In group P, the first attempt success rate for insertion of feeding tube was found to be 91.11%, it was not tried in group E. Haemodynamic changes were comparable and found no significant difference between two groups. SpO2 and ETCO2 in both groups were comparable and clinically acceptable. The incidence of coughing, sore throat, hoarseness and vomiting was more in group E than group P whereas the incidence of trauma was more in group P.

Conclusion: Proseal LMA is a safe and suitable alternative airway device to ETT in pediatric patients as judged by comparable success rate of insertion, stable hemodynamics, good oxygenation, adequate ventilation and lesser incidence of postoperative complications.

Keywords: Paediatric, Endotracheal tube, ProSeal LMA, Anaesthesia, Haemodynamic.

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Dr Ranjeeta M. Tambey

Associate Professor, Dept. of Anaesthesiology, GMC Nagpur