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Remote-Control Intubation Device Developed for Anesthesia

Remote intubation device with a patient (McGill University Health Centre)

Remote intubation device with a patient (McGill University Health Centre)

Physicians and engineers at McGill University Health Centre in Montreal, Canada have developed a remote-control system for intubation in anesthesia, and used the device for the first time on a live patient. Endotracheal intubation is a medical procedure in which a tube is placed into the windpipe, through the mouth or the nose to deliver oxygen, medication, or anesthesia, and to help with breathing.

A team led by McGill specialist and anesthesia professor Thomas Hemmerling developed the device to smooth the intubation procedure and reduce complications associated with airway management. The first remote control intubation of a patient took place earlier in April at Montreal General Hospital.

The device consists of a video-laryngoscope operated with a joystick from a remote workstation. The system, says Hemmerling, “enables the anesthesiologist to insert an endotracheal tube safely into the patient’s trachea with precision.”

Insertion of an endotracheal tube allows artificial ventilation, which is used in almost all cases of general anesthesia. Correct insertion of this tube into a patient’s airways is a complex maneuver that requires considerable experience and practice to master.

Hemmerling believes the remote intubation system “can assist the anesthesiologist’s arms and hands to perform manual tasks with less force, higher precision, and safety.” His lab also developed the world’s first anesthesia robot — nicknamed McSleepy — in 2008, which provides automated anesthesia delivery.

Read more: Positive Responses Recorded to Contact with Robotic Nurse

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