MHRA Warns of Choking Hazards of Laryngoscope Blades and Handles

The UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) issued an alert for Flexicare Medical’s BritePro Solo and BriteBlade Pro fiber optic laryngoscope blades and handles.

Loose bearings and a retaining ring may enter the patient’s airway causing a choking hazard if the laryngoscope blade is disengaged from the handle above the patient, the agency said. MHRA urged healthcare professionals to quarantine all affected products and report any suspected or actual adverse events.

Flexicare Medical traced the problem to “the use of out of specification components that could lead to the spring expelling the bearing and retaining ring from the blade block.”