King airways are great!

[Mariemt]

I only have experience on the KING as the combitube is now phased out in my state.

 

[socalmedic]

This citation doesn't support your first statement, as the article only covers LMAs. Also, while the difference is significant, the magnitude of the difference is small, you're looking at at 65.6 +/- 5.6 to 73.9 +/- 5.6 cm3.sec-1 (mean +-SEM).

When you consider this is n = 17, the scatter on this data doesn't look so wonderful. You're looking at standard deviations of 22 cm3.sec-1. This data, as I read it, is only significant because they're using non-parametric tests, including Wilcox.

Plus, they emphasise in the discussion that LMA inflation might not actually affect internal jugular caliber / flow, which is probably as important as carotid flow.

This is all surrogate outcome stuff too. No one's looking at ICP, or CBF, or cardiac arrest survival / neuro outcome here.

ok, I will revise my first comment.

we have discontinued the use of king tubes as a first line adjunct in favor of BLS airway management with the use of ETI only when unmanageable by BLS means. the King is still on our shelf until they expire but are not being replaced, and their use is discouraged by medical direction due to their feeling that the King-LT provides poorer patient outcomes. their feelings come from an 18 month (N is about 600) peer reviewed trial which has yet to be released pending 1 year neuro outcomes.