Comparing Supraglottic Airway Devices for Airway Management During Surgery in Children: A Review of Literature

Context: Supraglottic Airway Devices (SADs) are applied in airway management of pediatric emergency conditions. Objective: This review study aimed to examine the literature regarding pediatric supraglottic airway devices, to introduce the optimal devices in terms of Oropharyngeal Leak Pressure (OLP), risk of insertion failure on the first attempt and risk for blood staining of the device. Data Sources: An electronic search was conducted on MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL and PubMed databases. We also searched the Cochrane database (CENTRAL) and Web of Science up to July 1, 2017. Study Selection: Of 112 potential studies, the full texts of 53 articles were available, in which 15 were duplicated and omitted, accordingly. Papers which did not directly discuss SADs were also excluded. In total, 30 papers were identified related to the children supraglottic devices. Data Extraction: The current review was conducted and reported in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement. Results: The LMA ProSeal may be the best supraglottic airway device for children due to its high oropharyngeal leakage pressure and low risk of insertion failure. It seems that i-gel is a very functional tool as well. Conclusions: Further research is recommended to investigate the most appropriate supraglottic airway in diverse clinical situations and various conditions among children.