Endotracheal intubation is performed to provide ventilatory support to a patient of any age. Every medical procedure that requires general anesthesia requires intubation, and for this reason, it is a life-saving procedure. This maneuver is a challenge in pediatric patients between 0 months and 12 years of age, since their anatomy and oxygen consumption differ compared to an adult.

In patients with difficult airways, where there is no good visibility of the structures, a videolaryngoscope is used. It has higher success rates compared to a conventional laryngoscope. Its use has become widespread since the COVID-19 pandemic, as it reduces exposure to respiratory secretions.

This article presents the design, manufacture and testing of a low-cost pediatric videolaryngoscope, for patients between 6 and 12 months, and which are intended to respond to the low availability of this type of equipment in Colombian health care centers. The BioDesign Innovation Process methodology was adapted for its creation. The prototypes were manufactured using 3D printing. Validation was performed by 28 experts using simulators and the results were promising, obtaining a success rate of 98.8% for the designed device.

Succinylcholine is often used to facilitate neonatal and pediatric rapid sequence intubation in the emergency department, and most relevant literature recommends administering atropine prior to succinylcholine to reduce the risk of bradycardia. Given the potential complications associated with combining these medications, we searched the published literature for evidence supporting this practice. Most studies recommending atropine premedication were undertaken in the operating room setting and pertained to repeated succinylcholine dosing. Furthermore, there is little published evidence to indicate that succinylcholine-related bradycardia is a clinically important side effect. Several authors have called for the practice to cease, but, to date, these calls have gone unheeded. We found no evidence supporting atropine's use in pediatric patients prior to single-dose succinylcholine. Atropine premedication for emergency department rapid sequence intubation is unnecessary and should not be viewed as a “standard of care.”