Teaching Classic Laryngeal Mask Airway Insertion to Medical Students on the Manikin at Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences: Comparison of Standard Technique with Semi-Inflated Cuff Technique

Education of airway management is one of the components which is educated to medical students in Iran. Emphasis is on endotracheal intubation in this program، which requires high skills. An acceptable alternative tool for airway controlling is Laryngeal Mask Airway (LMA)، which its insertion training to novice is easy. The aim of this study was to compare inserting classic LMA by the two methods، i. e. standard and semi-inflated cuff techniques in terms of speed، skill and accuracy. In an interventional، crossover، prospective study، 30 medical student externs before entering clinical sectors were took part in a short time workshop carried out by the researcher in order to teach about classic LMA and its insertion techniques. Participants were divided randomly into two groups of 15 students for intervention and control groups، and then appraised for speed of LMA insertion، times of attempts for correct insertion، and the quality of manikin lungs ventilation. Success rate for LMA insertion was the same by two techniques in first attempts، and all of students inserted LMA successfully. The time for inserting the LMA in the semi-inflated method was significantly lower in comparison with standard method (p<0. 05). The time for insertion of classic LMA by medical student externs before entering clinical sectors is lower with semi-inflated method in comparison to standard method، however، the success rate for both methods are similar.