Comparative study of heart rate responses to laryngoscopic endotracheal intubation and to endotracheal intubation using intubating laryngeal mask airway under general anaesthesia in patients with pure mitral stenosis for closed mitral commissurotomy.

The various drugs and methods studied in an attempt to curb the haemodynamic stress response associated with conventional laryngoscopic endotracheal intubation have not been found to be ompletely satisfactory. The rise in heart rate can be detrimental to patients with mitral stenosis. This study was aimed to compare the heart rate responses to endotracheal intubation using conventional laryngoscope and with the help of intubating laryngeal mask airway (ILMA) in patients with isolated mitral stenosis. Thirty-four adult patients of either sex, aged between 18 and 40 years with isolated mitral stenosis to undergo closed mitral commissurotomy were randomly allocated into two groups : Group A (n=17)- To be intubated using laryngoscopy. Group B (n=17)- To be intubated with the help of ILMA. The heart rate was recorded immediately preinduction, just prior to introducing the intubating device and postintubation every minute up to first 5 minutes. On applying statistical tests, it was found that the median heart rate values in group A at 2, 3, 4 and 5 minutes postintubation were significantly higher than in group B (p<0.05). Although use of both laryngosope and ILMA for endotracheal intubation was associated with rise in heart rate, the rise was less with ILMA compared to laryngoscope. Hence, it can be concluded that use of ILMA may be a preferable device for endotracheal intubation laryngoscopy in patients with isolated mitral stenosis.