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| LETTERS TO EDITOR |
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| Year : 2020 | Volume
: 64
| Issue : 3 | Page : 250-251 |
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Short and/or long laryngoscope handle—“Sandesh Combihandle”
Sandesh Udupi
Department of Anesthesiology, Kasturba Medical College and Hospital, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, India
| Date of Submission | 14-Nov-2019 |
| Date of Decision | 15-Dec-2019 |
| Date of Acceptance | 28-Dec-2019 |
| Date of Web Publication | 11-Mar-2020 |
Correspondence Address:
Dr. Sandesh Udupi
Department of Anesthesiology, Kasturba Medical College and Hospital, Manipal, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal - 576 104, Karnataka
India
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |
DOI: 10.4103/ija.IJA_837_19
How to cite this article:
Udupi S. Short and/or long laryngoscope handle—“Sandesh Combihandle”. Indian J Anaesth 2020;64:250-1 |
A novel laryngoscope handle “Sandesh Combihandle” is described which can be used either as a short handle or as a standard long handle to overcome the difficulties and problems associated with swapping between the two handles during laryngoscopy.
The instrument consists of two parts. A proximal part houses the batteries, provides standard attachment to the blade, and functions solely as a short handle. Its end cap has grooves to which another distal part (which merely is a solid pipe) can be threaded. The proximal and distal parts attached together function as the long handle. [Figure 1] Distal part can be easily attached or detached without the need to remove the blade from the handle.[1] This abolishes the problem of electrical circuit failure during swapping of blades at critical instants and the dilemma of choosing the handle before every case.
The dimensions of the combihandle are comparable with the most standard long and short handles available in the market. Its comparison with handles from one such manufacturer (Anaesthetics India Pvt ltd.) is depicted in [Table 1]. | Table 1: Comparison of Sandesh Combihandle with standard long and short handles
Click here to view |
The long handle which is routinely used for its good grip may not be a reasonable option in obese individuals, pregnant women, and during application of cricoid pressure, where it may be easily obstructed either by the chest wall, enlarged breasts, or by the assistant's hand applying cricoid pressure. These situations although warrant the occasional use of a short handle,[2] its regular use is limited due to its smaller grip.
During airway management in code blue circumstances and other remote locations where a laryngoscope needs to be carried to the site of patient, in places where anaesthesiologists prefer to carry laryngoscopes to provide anaesthesia at different localities and in centers where cost is a limiting factor, a combihandle is a cost-effective option compared to having both short and a long handles.
Financial support and sponsorship
Nil.
Conflicts of interest
There are no conflicts of interest.
 References | |  |
| 1. | Udupi S. Sandesh combihandle: A modification of a standard laryngoscope handle for usage either as a short or a standard long handle. BMJ Innovations 2016;2:149-51.  |
| 2. | Levitan RM, Hagberg CA. Upper airway retraction: New and old laryngoscope blades. In: Hagberg C, Benumof J, editors. Benumof and Hagberg's Airway Management. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier/Saunders; 2013. p. 508-35. |
[Figure 1]
[Table 1]
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