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Concept
Laryngeal mask airway
Summary
A laryngeal mask airway (LMA), also known as laryngeal mask, is a medical device that keeps a patient's airway open during anaesthesia or while they are unconscious. It is a type of supraglottic airway device. They are most commonly used by anaesthetists to channel oxygen or inhalational anaesthetic to the lungs during surgery and in the pre-hospital setting (for instance by paramedics and emergency medical technicians) for unconscious patients.
A laryngeal mask is composed of an airway tube that connects to an elliptical mask with a cuff which is inserted through the patient's mouth, down the windpipe, and once deployed forms an airtight seal on top the glottis (unlike tracheal tubes which pass through the glottis) allowing a secure airway to be managed by a health care provider.
The laryngeal mask was invented by British anaesthesiologist Archibald Brain in the early 1980s, and in December 1987 the first commercial laryngeal mask was made available in the United Kingdom. The laryngeal mask is still widely used today worldwide, and a variety of specialised laryngeal masks exist.
It channels oxygen and inhalational anaesthetic to the lungs. It can be used during anaesthesia, or while a patient is unconscious. Laryngeal mask airways are designed to be an easy way to secure the airway and ventilate a patient – they are easier to place than tracheal intubation due to the lack of muscle relaxants and laryngoscopy. They are also less likely to damage teeth or the larynx itself. It may form an air-tight seal. Cuffs are available in multiple sizes.
LMAs can be alternatives to the use of a face mask when using a bag-valve-mask device to prevent gastric insufflation.
A laryngeal mask airway is generally not used in surgeries where there is a high risk that stomach contents may be aspirated. This is particularly for surgeries that last longer than 2 hours. It often uses low inflation pressures, so may not be appropriate in patients with illnesses that cause low lung compliance.
Official source
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