Direct comparison
iGel vs LMA: Cuff, Seal and Drain Compared
iGel vs LMA and the King airway side by side: cuff type, seal site, drain channel, single-use status and FDA 510(k) records. Features only, no verdict.
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How do i-gel, LMA family, King / laryngeal tube compare side by side?
The table below compares i-gel, LMA family, King / laryngeal tube across 12 procurement-relevant dimensions, from what it is through source.
Side-by-side comparison
| Dimension | i-gel | LMA family | King / laryngeal tube |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | Single-use supraglottic airway made from a medical-grade thermoplastic elastomer (Intersurgical, UK). | A family of laryngeal mask airways: classic LMA, flexible LMA, LMA Unique (first generation) and ProSeal, Supreme (second generation). | Laryngeal tube: a tube-type supraglottic device. The King LT-D (disposable) and King LTS (reusable) appear in FDA 510(k) records. |
| Cuff | Non-inflatable, gel-filled cuff; the seal improves as the device warms to body temperature. | Cuff-and-mask design with an inflatable cuff (classic LMA). The LMA Supreme is a disposable, pre-curved modification of the ProSeal. | Double-cuffed design (the Laryngeal Tube Suction-D is the disposable version of the double-cuffed laryngeal tube). |
| Where it seals | Perilaryngeal sealer (around the larynx). | Perilaryngeal sealer. | Pharyngeal sealer (the laryngeal tube is listed in this group). |
| Generation | Second generation (airway tube plus drainage tube). | Classic, flexible and Unique are first generation (simple airway tube); ProSeal and Supreme are second generation (add a drainage tube). | Laryngeal tube is listed among second-generation devices. |
| Drain (gastric) channel | Yes: contains both airway and drainage tubes. | Classic LMA: no drain tube. ProSeal and Supreme: yes. | Listed as having drainage. In FDA records the King LTS title says 'with drain/suction channel'; the King LT-D title does not mention one. |
| Built-in features named in the sources | Integral bite block. | ProSeal: fully wire-reinforced airway tube, 15-mm connector, integral bite block, drain tube. | King LTS: reusable, with drain/suction channel (FDA record title). |
| Single-use or reusable | Single-use. | LMA Supreme: disposable. The sources used here do not describe reusability for the other models. | King LT-D: disposable. King LTS: reusable (FDA record titles). |
| Head-to-head trial (40 elective adults per group) | Leak pressure 25.9 cmH2O; insertion time 10 s; success 95%. | LMA Supreme: leak pressure 27.1 cmH2O (at 60 cmH2O cuff pressure); 11 s; 95%. | Laryngeal Tube Suction-D: 24.0 cmH2O (at 60 cmH2O cuff pressure); 14 s; 70%, with more airway morbidity. The LTS-D is a related VBM device, not the King LT-D. |
| Drain channel size used in the trial | 12 Ch suction catheter used to test the channel. | 16 Ch (LMA Supreme). | 16 Ch (LTS-D). |
| FDA 510(k) records | Ask the supplier for the 510(k) number; none is cited here. | openFDA lists an Intavent laryngeal mask (K904834, 1991) under product code CAE. | K033186 (King LT-D, 2004-04-14) and K033189 (King LTS, 2004-05-04), King Systems Corp., product code CAE (21 CFR 868.5110, Class 1). |
| When this feature set fits | Feature match: non-inflatable cuff, single-use, built-in drain channel and bite block. | Feature match: a cuff-and-mask design, with a drain tube only in ProSeal and Supreme-type models. | Feature match: a pharyngeal-sealing, double-cuffed tube design, in disposable or reusable versions. |
| Source | Russo et al., BMC Anesthesiol 2012;12:18 (PMC3434115); Ramesh and Jayanthi, Indian J Anaesth 2011 (PMC3237147, paediatric review); read 2026-11-01. | Same two papers; openFDA 510(k) database, read 2026-11-01. | Same two papers; openFDA 510(k) and classification databases, read 2026-11-01. |
Common questions
Common questions about i-gel vs LMA family vs King / laryngeal tube
Is the i-gel a laryngeal mask?
+
It is a supraglottic airway that seals around the larynx, like the LMA family, but it has a non-inflatable gel-filled cuff instead of an inflatable cuff. Ramesh and Jayanthi (2011) group both as perilaryngeal sealers.
King airway vs i-gel: what is the difference in cuff and seal?
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The i-gel has a non-inflatable gel-filled cuff and seals around the larynx. The laryngeal tube is double-cuffed and is listed as a pharyngeal sealer (Russo 2012; Ramesh and Jayanthi 2011).
Which of these airways have a drain channel?
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The i-gel, LMA ProSeal and LMA Supreme have a drainage tube; the classic LMA does not. In FDA records the King LTS is titled 'with drain/suction channel'.
Is the Laryngeal Tube Suction-D in the trial the same as the King LT-D?
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No. Russo et al. studied the LTS-D, a disposable version of a double-cuffed laryngeal tube made by VBM. The King LT-D is a related but separate product with its own FDA record (K033186).
Which is better, i-gel or LMA?
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This page does not rank them. In one trial of 120 elective adults all three devices were suitable for ventilation during surgery; device choice is a clinical decision for qualified clinicians.
Going deeper
