Airway management of polytrauma patients with suspected cervical spine injury is the starting point of resuscitation. Spinal cord injury (SCI) can lead to deleterious neurological and functional deficits. A high index of suspicion for C-spine injury should be present in all trauma patients. Direct laryngoscopy (DL) is considered the most studied technique. Video laryngoscopy (VL) utilizes video camera technology to visualize airway structures and facilitate endotracheal intubation. The C-MAC D-Blade video laryngoscope represents an important update to the current C-MAC system, its unique half-moon shape leads to an overall higher angulation when compared with the traditional C-MAC blade.



AIM OF THE WORK:

The primary aim of the present study was to compare DL versus VL regarding success rate of first attempt of intubation in trauma patients with suspected cervical spine injury. The Secondary aim is to compare the incidence of post intubation complications in both techniques.

METHODOLOGY

All patients were subjected to airway assessment following the ATLS guidelines including complete history taking from the relatives, detection of objective signs of airway obstruction and possible compromised ventilation, brief chest examination and cervical spine assessment according to the nexus criteria. Patients were randomly categorized by closed envelope method.