Classification of supraglottic sealing airways:
(1) cuffed perilaryngeal sealer
(2) cuffed pharyngeal sealer with esophageal cuff
(3) cuffed pharyngeal sealer without esophageal cuff
(4) cuffless, anatomically preshaped sealer
Features:
(1) noninvasive airway conduit
(2) ease of insertion (including by a nonspecialist)
(3) first time insertion success rate
(4) stability once positioned (reliable and hands free)
(5) sealing quality sufficient to allow positive pressure ventilation (leaking under pressure)
(6) risk of aspiration
(7) risk of cross-infection (a single use device ideal)
(8) risk of serious side effects
The original scoring ranged from 0 (ideal) to 2 (problematic). The total score could range from 0 to 16, with a lower score indicating a more attractive device.
Since many people prefer to compare items under the assumption that higher score indicates superiority, the scoring was modified as followed:
|
Problems
|
Points
|
|
significant
|
0
|
|
moderate
|
1
|
|
minor
|
2
|
|
none
|
3
|
total score =
= SUM(points for all 8 features)
Interpretation:
• minimum score: 0
• maximum score: 24
• The higher the score the better the airway.
