Iraqi Postgraduate Medical Journal

Abstract

Summary:
Recent advances in airway management have changed the practice of anesthesia. Among these changes
has been the introduction and increasing use of the Laryngeal Mask Airway (LMA). The laryngeal mask
airway (LMA) is a novel device that fills the gap in airway management between tracheal intubation and
use of the face mask.
This study describes the LMA, different methods of LMA insertion, uses, advantages, problems,
complications and contraindications of LMA.
During eight years of LMA use in Al-Yarmook teaching hospital in Baghdad, the device was used for
wide spectrum of surgical procedures successfully. We report some special series of cases were LMAs
were used in providing a patent airway include LMA use with IPPV (intermittent positive pressure
ventilation), for patient with history of failed intubation, for children who require general anesthesia for
ultrasonic shock wave lithotripsy, the use of reinforce flexible LMA for nasal surgery and the use of total
intravenous anaesthesia with LMA. Also we describe two methods of blind endotracheal intubation
through LMA.