TONSILLECTOMY AND REINFORCED LARYNGEAL MASK

One hundred children were randomly allocated to receive general anaesthesia for tonsillectomy either through a preformed tracheal tube or a reinforced laryngeal mask. The insertion of both devices was easy but occasionally, with the laryngeal mask, the airway became obstructed during the Boyle-Davis gag insertion. There was more coughing after intubation (ET 26%, RLM 0%, P < 0,001) and extubation (ET 34%, RLM 0%, P < 0,001), than after insertion and withdrawal of the RLM. Oxygen desaturation (ET 14%, RLM 2%, P < 0,02) and internal contamination with blood seepage (ET 30%, RLM 4%, P < 0,001) occurred less frequently with the RLM.