©Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2026. No commercial re-use. See Permissions. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc.
World J Crit Care Med. Mar 9, 2026; 15(1): 117127
Published online Mar 9, 2026. doi: 10.5492/wjccm.v15.i1.117127
Published online Mar 9, 2026. doi: 10.5492/wjccm.v15.i1.117127
Advancing emergency airway management: Video laryngoscope vs intubating laryngeal mask airway in critical care
Gemechu Dereje Feyissa, Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Rift Valley University, Adama 1715, Oromīa, Ethiopia
Author contributions: Feyissa GD made substantial and essential contributions to manuscript preparation, reviewed the final version, and approved it for publication.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The author declares that he has no conflict of interest to disclose.
Corresponding author: Gemechu Dereje Feyissa, Assistant Professor, Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Rift Valley University, Hangatu District, Dabe Sub-City, Adama 1715, Oromīa, Ethiopia. gemechudereje80@gmail.com
Received: December 1, 2025
Revised: December 23, 2025
Accepted: January 19, 2026
Published online: March 9, 2026
Processing time: 91 Days and 20.5 Hours
Revised: December 23, 2025
Accepted: January 19, 2026
Published online: March 9, 2026
Processing time: 91 Days and 20.5 Hours
Core Tip
Core Tip: This editorial highlights Aggarwal et al’s trial showing video laryngoscopy (VL) outperforming intubating laryngeal mask airway (ILMA) in critically ill patients, with higher first-attempt success (87.5% vs 53.1%), faster intubation (44.0 ± 19.7 seconds vs 82.5 ± 14.5 seconds), and fewer complications. Superior glottic visualization positions VL as first-line for emergency airways, with ILMA as rescue. Findings advocate protocol revisions, VL training, and resource prioritization for better out