Blade choice is a clinical decision, and every anaesthetist has preferences built on experience. For buyers, it helps to know what each pattern is for, so that the right mix reaches the right department.
Macintosh: the curved standard
The Macintosh is a curved blade. Its tip is placed in the vallecula, in front of the epiglottis, and lifts it indirectly. It is the most widely used blade for adult intubation and the core of most hospital stock.
Miller: the straight blade
The Miller is a straight blade that lifts the epiglottis directly. It is widely used for neonates and infants, whose epiglottis is relatively large and floppy, and by many clinicians for adults with an anterior larynx.
MacFlex: a curved blade with a hinged tip
MacFlex blades have a tip that can be raised with a lever while the blade is in place. Lifting the tip elevates the epiglottis and can improve the view of the larynx without levering on the teeth. The Mega MacFlex combines this hinged tip with the German profile.
Profiles: English, German and American
Blades with the same name are made to different regional profiles, which differ in the shape and height of the flange and the curve of the blade. Clinicians trained on one profile often prefer it, so it is worth confirming which profile a department uses before ordering.
Special blades
- Polio: a Macintosh-type blade set at an obtuse angle to the handle, for patients where the chest or a collar gets in the way.
- Philips, Wisconsin, Wis-Hipple, Seward, Robertshaw and Oxford: straight or near-straight patterns, many designed for paediatric and neonatal airways.
- Miller Oxiport: a Miller blade with an oxygen port for oxygen delivery during intubation.
- Macintosh Improved View and Reduced Flange: variants that open up the line of sight or leave more room in a small mouth opening.
If you are building a tender or stocking a new department, send us the list of patterns and sizes your clinicians use. We will match them across our reusable and single-use ranges and quote the full set.