New Product Announcement: The Total Control Introducer (TCI) Joins Pentland Medical’s Airway Portfolio
Here at Pentland Medical, we’re excited to announce the latest addition to our growing airway portfolio: the Total Control Introducer (TCI).
Developed by anaesthetist and innovator Dr. Sean Runnels, the TCI is a patented device designed to enhance control and visibility during endotracheal intubation—particularly in difficult airway situations. It’s already being recognised for its potential to simplify complex procedures and improve patient safety.
Modern Day Intubation
With the continued shift from direct laryngoscopy to video laryngoscopy, the geometry of tracheal intubation is changing. The purpose of DL and VL is ultimately the same; to provide a visualisation of the vocal cords, however, the way that the two methods achieve this is vastly different.
With a direct laryngoscope, operators physically flatten the oral cavity to a straight pathway and once the vocal cords are visible, it is possible to pass the airway device for successful intubation. The problem with this method was always visualising the vocal cords in the first place.
Video laryngoscopes have largely overcome this problem of visualisation. They are designed to navigate around the primary curve of the airway allowing operators to gain an indirect sight of the vocal cords with ease and without flattening the airway straight which means less trauma for the patient. This means that the geometry of airway intubation has changed from a straight pathway to a serpentine geometry and with that, the problem has changed from visualisation to tracheal access. Existing tools such as rigid stylets and bougies were not designed for a serpentine pathway.
Enter the Total Control Introducer (TCI)! The TCI is a unique introducer designed to make full use of the superior view provided by the VL. Unlike any other bougie or introducer, the TCI has a fully dynamic range of movement that glides through even the most difficult airways with ease, solving both the primary and secondary curves of the airway.
Outstanding Feedback at the GAMC Conference
We recently introduced the TCI at the GAMC Conference held at Guy’s Hospital, and the response was overwhelmingly positive. Delegates praised the TCI’s intuitive design and practical value across a range of clinical settings.
We were especially proud to be joined at the event by the device’s inventor, Dr. Sean Runnels, who demonstrated the TCI in action and shared the clinical thinking behind its design. His insights helped spark great interest from anaesthetists and airway specialists attending the event.
Why the TCI?
- Designed by a practising clinician for real-world use
- Provides greater control and accuracy during intubation
- Ideal for both routine and difficult airways
- A strong new addition to our trusted airway portfolio
At Pentland Medical, we’re committed to offering innovative, practical solutions that make a measurable difference in patient care—and the Total Control Introducer is exactly that.
See the following video explaining the TCI in more detail – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vt9pfjrMuYo.
Want to keep up to date on all things intubation? Sign up here to receive the TCI newsletter – https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/let-s-talk-about-intubation-7224463612323450882/
Get in touch with our team today to arrange a demo!
