In 1913, Dr. Chevalier Jackson’s Direct Laryngoscope was the first laryngoscope to incorporate an electric light. With this new feature, laryngoscopes quickly became part of the standard equipment of anesthesiologists. During general anesthesia, these doctors use a number of tools to assist the patient’s breathing.
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A laryngoscope is used to view the larynx (voicebox), which is the opening to the trachea and lungs. The blade serves to keep the patient’s tongue out of the way while guiding the endotracheal tube into the position where it will remain throughout the surgery, carrying air and anesthetic gases to the patient’s lungs.[1]
