London hospital anticipates the future of video laryngoscopy
ST. NEOTS, UNITED KINGDOM - Dec 4, 2017 - University College Hospital London (UCHL) has recently purchased 19 Verathon, Inc. GlideScope® systems in response to guidelines from the Difficult Airways Society recommending much greater accessibility to video laryngoscopy in hospitals. The supply contract was awarded to the medical device company Verathon, and its intubation technology is now widely available across UCHLs 26 operating theatres.
Dr Simon Clarke, a consultant anaesthetist, explained: Around 30 per cent of our patients need intubation, and we have a comparatively large proportion of people coming through with difficult airways, as we are a tertiary referral centre for head and neck cancer. We have over 10 years experience working with Verathons GlideScope, and the choice of four reusable blades designed for normal and difficult airways offers the versatility we need, as well as cutting down on our waste.
Dr James Holding, a fellow anaesthetist, continued: We are very impressed with the device. Its straightforward to disinfect between different patients, and it ticks all the boxes; it is hard wearing, easy to set up and simple to use, making it a fantastic training tool. We train over 100 anaesthetists every year, and the video capability lets me see the same view as a junior doctor so that I can offer guidance during procedures, and recommend the right amount of pressure on the neck to alter the view of the larynx and the glottis. We anticipate that within a few years it will be standard practice to intubate every patient, and well wonder how we ever managed without video laryngoscopy.