Let the record show, this is not a debate for or against the use of video cameras on laryngoscopes. It’s not really a debate at all. It’s a plea. An honest plea…

The “DL vs. VL” debate has been had. It will continue to be had as our research evolves and our tools evolve (and we will participate). But, I beg of us as a community to pause and collectively consider a point of order: our discussion and debate, and worse our education of novice critical care providers, and even worse our research, is becoming marred by the fact that we aren’t all speaking the same language. We often throw around terms without RIGOROUS attention to detail.

As Kleenex is to facial tissue, “Video Laryngoscopy” has become a descriptor for any use of any laryngoscope device with a video camera on it. We will respectfully submit that this is inappropriate and makes conversation, education and interpretation of research challenging. We can not continue to use the term “Video Laryngoscopy” without METICULOUS attention to clarifying if we are speaking in terms of Direct Laryngoscopy (DL) devices with video cameras on them OR in terms of Indirect Laryngoscopy (IL) devices with video cameras on them.

At this point you might be asking, “Why should we care, and what are you talking about?”. Fair point. Let us digress…