Laryngoscopy - A Definition of Terms

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Laryngoscopy - A Definition of Terms

There can be some confusion with regards to the terminology surrounding laryngoscopy.  The term "video laryngoscopy" can be used imprecisely without specific attention paid to the geometry of the blade containing the video camera.  The geometry of the blade, however, is crucially important as the biomechanics of laryngoscopy differ substantially depending on whether a standard geometry (Macintosh or Miller) blade or a hyperangulated blade is used.  Below you will find specific definition of terms with regards to laryngoscopy and a video demonstrating the differences between direct laryngoscopy, standard geometry video laryngoscopy, and hyperangulated video laryngoscopy.

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"Video Laryngoscopy" Needs to Die

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"Video Laryngoscopy" Needs to Die

Let the record show, this is not a debate for or against the use of video cameras on laryngoscopes. It’s not really a debate at all. It’s a plea. An honest plea…

The “DL vs. VL” debate has been had. It will continue to be had as our research evolves and our tools evolve (and we will participate). But, I beg of us as a community to pause and collectively consider a point of order: our discussion and debate, and worse our education of novice critical care providers, and even worse our research, is becoming marred by the fact that we aren’t all speaking the same language. We often throw around terms without RIGOROUS attention to detail.

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