The Laryngeal Mask Airway in Edentulous Geriatric Patients

With an aging population a prevalence of edentulous patients increased above 60 % among individuals aged ≥65 yr. Face mask ventilation of these edentulous patients is often difficult because of the inadequate fitting of the standard mask to the face. In addition, because of a reduction in muscle tone under general anesthesia, the air space in the oropharynx is reduced, and posterior displacement of the tongue, soft palate and epiglottis tend to close the airway. The laryngeal mask airway (LMA) provides a better alternative to the standard face mask if the facial contours of the patient are not suited to the standard face mask. It is more difficult to perform bag-mask ventilation in edentulous patients than in patients with intact dentition. The laryngeal mask airway (LMA) provides a better alternative to the standard face mask if the facial contours of the patient are not suited to the standard face mask. We aimed to compare the routinely used laryngeal mask airway in our clinic, the LMA Unique™ with the newly released LMA Supreme™ in edentulous elderly patients for the success in first attempt insertion, ease and time of insertion, and oropharyngeal leak pressure.