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The development of video laryngoscope via additive manufacturing for use in a pre-hospital environment

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Abstract

Purpose

Due to failures that occur during intubation, some authors advocate that intubation should always be done with a video laryngoscope. What makes the implementation of this recommendation difficult, especially in developing countries, is the high price of the device. Thus, the objective of this study is to present a low-cost video laryngoscope developed via additive manufacturing, being the first device to have the safety parameters duly tested according to the ISO 7673:2020 standard.

Methods

A video laryngoscope with a Macintosh-type rigid blade was developed. After modeling it in the CAD-3D SolidWorks® program, the prototype was printed in PLA (polylactic acid), and load and fatigue tests were carried out with the MTS 810/793 testing machine.

Results

The main results were an improvement in ergonomics (with a better fixation of the camera wire and camera positioning). Load and fatigue tests showed compliance with the requirements of the ISO 7673:2020 standard. The first is that when subjected to a traction force of 65 N, the center of illumination must not move more than 10 mm (the average movement was only 3.95 mm). The second is that when subjected to a traction force of 150 N, the laryngoscope blade must not break (348 N of load was applied and the piece resisted without breaking).

Conclusion

It was shown that the Macintosh-type PLA video laryngoscope has the potential to become a safe and low-cost tool in the emergency intubation arsenal.

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Acknowledgements

This study was financed in part by CNPq with a productivity scholarship in technological development and innovative extension (DT2).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Graduate Program in Biomedical Engineering, Universidade Federal Tecnológica do Paraná, Curitiba, Brazil

    Marcio Allan Alves, Lucas Freitas Berti & Leandra Ulbricht

  2. Graduate Program in Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Universidade Federal Tecnológica do Paraná, Curitiba, Brazil

    Jose Aguiomar Foggiatto

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  1. Marcio Allan Alves
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  2. Jose Aguiomar Foggiatto
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Correspondence to Marcio Allan Alves.

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Alves, M.A., Foggiatto, J.A., Berti, L.F. et al. The development of video laryngoscope via additive manufacturing for use in a pre-hospital environment. Res. Biomed. Eng. 40, 15–23 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42600-023-00326-3

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