[Use of Eschmann's gum elastic bougie in difficult orotracheal intubation, an audit over eight years of clinical practice]. / Utilisation d'un mandrin d'Eschmann dans l'intubation orotrachéale difficile, évaluation d'une pratique professionnelle sur huit ans.

OBJECTIVES: The objective was to check on the effectiveness of difficult orotracheal intubation by Eschmann's gum elastic bougie in our institution. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective observation study led for eight years. PATIENTS AND METHODS: All the orotracheal intubations during the inductions in the surgical unit of the hospital of Laon were listed from 1998 to 2005, whether they were achieved in a classical way, with a fibrobronchoscope or with Eschmann's gum elastic bougie. RESULTS: Out of 15,657 intubations, 301 of them were difficult. Eschmann's gum elastic bougie was used 276 times with a rate of success of 99%. CONCLUSION: Our study confirms the figures of publications, particularly the anglo-saxon ones and proves the interest of the Eschmann's gum elastic bougie in orotracheal intubations and this in first intention.