Laryngeal masks. Three decades later

Abstract

Laryngeal masks are supraglottal devices offering an alternative to the traditional endotracheal intubation with potential benefits. The purpose of this work was showing the current status of the laryngeal masks in Anesthesiology and Reanimation. A search on the theme was carried out in electronic and printed documents, and also in the following databases Central Cochrane Register, Lilacs, PubMed/Medline, SCielo regional and Google. At this moment there is a wide variety of laryngeal masks, the design of which excels the previous one in parameters like insertion easiness and time, sealing pressure and less risks of complication, allowing increasing their use in pediatric, obese and obstetric patients, in laparoscopic surgery, in the algorithm for the difficult airway, in cardiopulmonary reanimation, outside the operating room and in extra hospital settings