SMTL undertook a laboratory and manikin-based human factors/usability investigation to identify introducers that could be suitable for clinical investigation. We included six different introducers in laboratory-based assessments (design characteristics) and manikin-based assessments involving the participation of 30 anaesthetists.

Each anaesthetist attempted placement in the manikin’s trachea with each of the six introducers in a random order. Outcomes included first-time insertion success rate; insertion success rate; number of attempts; time to placement; and distance placed. Each anaesthetist also completed a questionnaire. 

The results of the study has now been published in a paper ("An assessment of introducers used for airway management") in Anaesthesia in Dec 2021, coauthored by 4 SMTL staff (Laura Price, Matt Alderman, Gavin Hughes and Pete Phillips).

The paper concluded that the study protocol is suitable for differentiating between different introducers and could be used as a basis for assessing other types of devices.