Comparing Tracheal Intubation Conditions in the Intensive Care Unit and Operating Room

Comparison of Tracheal Intubation Conditions in Operating Room and Intensive Care Unit A Prospective, Observational Study

Background: Tracheal intubation is a common intervention in the operating room and in the intensive care unit. The authors hypothesized that tracheal intubation using direct laryngoscopy would be associated with worse intubation conditions and more complications in the intensive care unit compared with the operating room.

Methods: The authors prospectively evaluated during 33 months patients who were tracheally intubated with direct laryngoscopy in the operating room, and subsequently in the intensive care unit (within a 1- month time frame). The primary outcome was to compare the difference in glottic visualization using the modified Cormack-Lehane grade between intubations performed on the same patient in an intensive care unit and previously in an operating room.