Low flow anesthesia; to determine the incidence of complications when using laryngeal mask airway and compare it with endotracheal tube intubation

Objectives: The aim of our study is to determine the incidence of complicationswhen using Laryngeal mask airway and compare it with endotracheal tube intubation, duringadministration of low flow anesthesia. Study Design: A randomized control trial. Period: 3months from February 2015 to April 2015. Setting: Tertiary Care Hospital in Karachi Pakistan.Materials and Methods: The study population consisted of n= 100 patients who underwentelective operative procedures of the eye. Patients who belonged to the ASA classification typeI and II were allocated into two groups using a random number generator. Group A consistedof all the patients on whom endotracheal tube was used as airway and group B included all thepatients on whom Laryngeal mask airway was used. The complications were noted on a predesignedproforma. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 23. Results: The study populationconsisted of n= 100 patients out of which n= 43 were males and n= 57 were females, 42%of the patients belonged to ASA classification I and 58% belonged to the ASA classificationII. Leakage of air was observed in 7% of the patients, postoperative shivering was observedin 20%, sore throat was observed in n= 22 patients, of which n= 18 patients belonged to theETT group and n= 4 patients belonged to the LMA group. Endotracheal carbon dioxide levelsdid not show any significant difference. Conclusion: According to the results of our study,Laryngeal mask airway has a lower incidence of post-operative complications, provided that itspositioning and cuff pressure are noted and maintained regularly, and it can be used as a safealternative to endotracheal intubation when using low flow controlled anesthesia respectively.