Performance analysis for difficult airway equipment: standardising for success

Equipment design and selection can contribute to the success or failure of difficult airway management. However, evaluative systems for providing the relative performance data for bougie introducers to help inform these choices do not exist outside of bespoke studies. This paper discusses the design development of an innovative tip pressure and shape retention testing system. Working with a design activity model, a set of stringent criteria to inform the manufacture of the testing systems were produced. Once implemented, this testing method can inform future equipment selection to improve procedure success rates and thereby reduce patient complications.