Avoidance versus use of neuromuscular blocking agents for optimizing video laryngoscopy-assisted tracheal intubation: A protocol for a systematic review with meta-analysis and trial sequential analysis

Background: Both the European Society of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care and the Difficult Airway Society recommend the use of neuromuscular blocking agents (NMBAs) to facilitate tracheal intubation and to reduce the risk of complications. Even though it is recommended to use video laryngoscopy for intubation, especially in circumstances where difficult tracheal intubation is expected, the evidence for the combination of video laryngoscopy and NMBAs is sparse. This protocol outlines a systematic review of the effect of avoidance versus use of NMBAs for tracheal intubation during video laryngoscopy in adults. Methods: This protocol is made in accordance with reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses protocols recommendations. We intent to include randomised controlled trials assessing the effect of avoidance versus use of NMBAs during video laryngoscopy to facilitate tracheal intubation (either nasal or oral) in the adult population. The primary outcome is failed first-pass intubation. Our secondary outcomes include adverse and serious adverse events. A thorough search will be done to identify relevant trials, including CENTRAL, MEDLINE, EMBASE, BIOSIS, Web of Science and CIHNAL. Furthermore, trial registries will be searched for unpublished trials. Each trial will be evaluated for bias. We will use appropriate packages in R to perform the meta-analysis. Additionally, we will perform trial sequential analysis on the meta-analysis of our primary outcome. Lastly, we will employ the GRADE approach and create “Summary of Findings” tables.