r/emergencymedicine • u/Radiant_Alchemist • 22d ago

Advice Will Video Laryngoscopy become the norm?

I love VL. They make standard laryngoscopes look brutal. They're less traumatizing, they give a better view, they have a better first-pass success. Sure you need to learn direct laryngoscopy but let's say in 5 years from now will they be used as routine in OR and ER intubations? Or will they be saved for hard cases?

I've been told that the equipment tends to suck and that we won't have VL as available as in the current department that I'm working so I should stick to Macintosh and McCoy.

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u/[deleted] 22d ago

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u/OysterShocker ED Attending 22d ago

They are the standard now for most intubations in North America. Most ER and anesthesia residents, for example, will be better at VL than DL.

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u/IntensiveCareCub Resident 22d ago

Anesthesia resident here: this is very program dependent. 90% of my intubations are DL. I only use VL for anticipated difficult airways and out of OR intubations (simply because that’s what’s more readily available).

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u/Penlight_Nunchucks ED Attending 22d ago

In the ER every airway is an anticipated difficult airway, I would conjure NOT using VL at this point would open your litigation if there was a bad outcome.