Soft Mist Spray Device for airway anaesthesia during awake videolaryngoscopy

Effective and fast topical anesthesia of the upper airway is of paramount
importance in awake video laryngoscopy bronchoscopy, awake fiberoptic
intubations and other instrumentations of the airway in order to avoid patient
discomfort. Some patients have an (expected) difficult airway. It is very
helpfull to be able to view the airway in advance, and possibly be able to
secure the airway immediately before the patient is under general anesthesia
and ventilation is necessary.


Different methods of anesthetizing the airway have been described. However,
conventional topical airway anesthesia is not always effective
due to non-optimal flow patterns and generation of ineffective local anesthetic
aerosols. Other methods of anesthetizing the airway are more invasive.
In order to optimize topical anesthesia of the airway an inhalation device
(Trachospray) is constructed for topical anesthesia of the airway, in which
more optimal airflow patterns are obtained and local anesthetic aerosols are
generated which will reach the target zone for anesthetizing the airway.

In this study, the Trachospray device will be evaluated with regard to blocking
the airway reflexes during awake videolaryngoscopie.

Prospective Interventional study

Subjects will be asked to inhale (via the Trachospray device) 4 ml lidocaine 4%

Inevitably there is some discomfort during the procedure, mainly airway
irritation which causes coughing. Some postprocedural
tracheal irritation and/or hoarseness and a dry mouth for 3±4 h may occur.