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Examining the Ease of Intubation Using the Parker Flex-Tip® or a Standard Endotracheal Tube

Examining the Ease of Intubation Using the Parker Flex-Tip® or a Standard Mallinckrodt® Endotracheal When Using the Glidescope®

Status
Completed
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT01263873
Acronym
ETT
Enrollment
60
Registered
2010-12-21
Start date
2010-11-30
Completion date
2011-05-31
Last updated
2014-12-17

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Larynx

Brief summary

The purpose of the study is to determine if there are differences related to ease of intubation reported by clinicians who use the Parker Flex-Tip® endotracheal tubes(ETT)compared to the standard Mallinckrodt® (ETT). The problem is two (ETTs), the Parker Flex-Tip® and the Mallinckrodt®, are currently available for use in operative suites for intubation, but few studies have compared these devices with each other. Two research questions to be answered in the study are 1. Is there a difference in the ease of intubation when the Parker Flex-Tip® (ETT) is used when compared to the standard Mallinckrodt® (ETT)? and 2. Are there differences in the number of successful intubations when comparing the Parker Flex-Tip® (ETT) and the standard Mallinckrodt® (ETT)? The hypotheses are the use of the Parker Flex-Tip® (ETT) will demonstrate: 1. Fewer seconds to intubate the trachea. 2. Higher self-reported ease of placement scores and 3. Fewer redirections to intubate the trachea. The number of successful intubations is expected to be the same in both arms of the study.

Detailed description

There are not many different types of (ETT)s with different ends or tips. The standard (ETT) by Mallinckrodt® is a disposable polyvinyl chloride plastic tube that has one hooded Murphy tip eye at the end of the tube. The Murphy tip eye is to help with ventilation and air passage if the main end is occluded with mucus or a foreign body. Another type of (ETT) is the Parker Flex-Tip® (ETT), which has a soft flex-tip that is configured to pass easily through the airway anatomy and has two Murphy tip eyes. Currently there are no published data comparing the Parker Flex-Tip® (ETT) with standard Mallinckrodt® (ETT) when the GlideScope® is used. The data are limited concerning the ease of intubation when using the Parker Flex-Tip® (ETT). The study is a two-factor randomized block intervention study design. Subjects assigned to the first group will be intubated using the standard Mallinckrodt® (ETT). The subjects assigned to the second group will be intubated using the Parker Flex-Tip® (ETT). Randomization will be accomplished using the sealed envelope technique. There are six anesthesia providers who will be using ETTs to intubate. A block design will be used to make sure each anesthesia provider receives the same number of patients randomized to the Mallinckrodt and to the Parker Flex-Tip® (ETT)s.

Interventions

DEVICEMallinckrodt (ETT)

7.0 millimeter internal diameter for female 8.0 millimeter internal diameter for male

DEVICEParker Flex-Tip (ETT)

7.0 millimeter internal diameter for female 8.0 millimeter internal diameter for male

Sponsors

University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Masking
SINGLE (Subject)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

1. Subjects that are males and non-pregnant females \> or equal to 18 years of age that require a general anesthetic with an (ETT). 2. Able to give informed consent (adults, English reading and speaking)

Exclusion criteria

1. Any subject on examination with a mallampati III or greater and/or history of difficult intubation. 2. Any subject with an American Society of Anesthesiologist classification greater than 3. 3. Any subject needing rapid sequence induction. 4. Any subject that the anesthesia provider considers the GlideScope® to be contraindicated. 5. Any subject that an anesthesia provider feels for any reason at any time is not appropriate for inclusion in this study.

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Ease of Intubation, as Measured by Time in Seconds for ETT InsertionParticipants were followed for the duration of intubation, an average of 10 minutesTo measure the ease of intubation by time in seconds for ETT insertion. Time was measured in seconds and started when the anesthesia provider asked for the ETT and stopped once the ETT was placed through the glottis. The time was obtained from video recordings during the intubation by the principal investigator (PI).
Ease of Intubation, as Measured by Number of ETT RedirectionsParticipants were followed for the duration of intubation, an average of 10 minutesTo measure the ease of intubation, once the airway structure was visualized with the GlideScope, the number of ETT redirections at the glottis to intubate the trachea was counted by video recordings by the PI.
Ease of Intubation, as Measured by an Ease of ETT Insertion Score.Participants were followed for the duration of intubation, an average of 10 minutesTo measure the ease of intubation, an ease of ETT insertion score was obtained by using a 100 millimeter visual analog scale done by the anesthesia provider doing the intubation. The score of 0 millimeters was the easiest intubation and a score of 100 millimeters was the hardest intubation done by that anesthesia provider.

Countries

United States

Participant flow

Recruitment details

October, 2010 through January, 2011 in operative room.

Participants by arm

ArmCount
Parker Flex Tip Endotracheal Tube
Parker Flex-Tip® which is a disposable polyvinyl chloride (PVC) Endotracheal tube with a flexible, tapered tip that is anatomically designed to the airway structures.
30
Mallinckrodt® Endotracheal Tube
Standard PVC Mallinckrodt® tube used throughout the world for intubating the trachea St. Louis, MO 63134.
30
Total60

Withdrawals & dropouts

PeriodReasonFG000FG001
Overall StudyOne provider unable to complete numbers11

Baseline characteristics

CharacteristicMallinckrodt® Endotracheal TubeParker Flex Tip Endotracheal TubeTotal
Age, Categorical
<=18 years
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Age, Categorical
>=65 years
10 Participants9 Participants19 Participants
Age, Categorical
Between 18 and 65 years
20 Participants21 Participants41 Participants
Age, Continuous51 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 19
55 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 14
53 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 16
Region of Enrollment
United States
30 participants30 participants60 participants
Sex: Female, Male
Female
15 Participants18 Participants33 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Male
15 Participants12 Participants27 Participants

Adverse events

Event typeEG000
affected / at risk
EG001
affected / at risk
deaths
Total, all-cause mortality
— / —— / —
other
Total, other adverse events
0 / 300 / 30
serious
Total, serious adverse events
0 / 300 / 30

Outcome results

Primary

Ease of Intubation, as Measured by an Ease of ETT Insertion Score.

To measure the ease of intubation, an ease of ETT insertion score was obtained by using a 100 millimeter visual analog scale done by the anesthesia provider doing the intubation. The score of 0 millimeters was the easiest intubation and a score of 100 millimeters was the hardest intubation done by that anesthesia provider.

Time frame: Participants were followed for the duration of intubation, an average of 10 minutes

ArmMeasureValue (MEAN)Dispersion
Parker Flex Tip Endotracheal TubeEase of Intubation, as Measured by an Ease of ETT Insertion Score.12.7 Visual Analog Score in millimetersStandard Deviation 12.4
Mallinckrodt® Endotracheal TubeEase of Intubation, as Measured by an Ease of ETT Insertion Score.17.8 Visual Analog Score in millimetersStandard Deviation 19.9
Primary

Ease of Intubation, as Measured by Number of ETT Redirections

To measure the ease of intubation, once the airway structure was visualized with the GlideScope, the number of ETT redirections at the glottis to intubate the trachea was counted by video recordings by the PI.

Time frame: Participants were followed for the duration of intubation, an average of 10 minutes

ArmMeasureValue (MEAN)Dispersion
Parker Flex Tip Endotracheal TubeEase of Intubation, as Measured by Number of ETT Redirections0.7 Number of redirections to place ETTStandard Deviation 1.4
Mallinckrodt® Endotracheal TubeEase of Intubation, as Measured by Number of ETT Redirections1.3 Number of redirections to place ETTStandard Deviation 2.8
Primary

Ease of Intubation, as Measured by Time in Seconds for ETT Insertion

To measure the ease of intubation by time in seconds for ETT insertion. Time was measured in seconds and started when the anesthesia provider asked for the ETT and stopped once the ETT was placed through the glottis. The time was obtained from video recordings during the intubation by the principal investigator (PI).

Time frame: Participants were followed for the duration of intubation, an average of 10 minutes

ArmMeasureValue (MEAN)Dispersion
Parker Flex Tip Endotracheal TubeEase of Intubation, as Measured by Time in Seconds for ETT Insertion10.8 SecondsStandard Deviation 7.6
Mallinckrodt® Endotracheal TubeEase of Intubation, as Measured by Time in Seconds for ETT Insertion12.7 SecondsStandard Deviation 7.3

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026