LMA

Medical abbreviation · Anesthesia

LMA stands for Laryngeal mask airway, an anesthesia abbreviation.

Supraglottic airway device with an inflatable or gel mask that sits over the larynx, inserted blindly through the mouth without entering the trachea. It is widely used for general anesthesia in short procedures with spontaneous breathing and as a rescue device when intubation fails.

Example: LMA size 4 placed easily; spontaneous ventilation on sevoflurane.

Usage notes

Invented by British anaesthetist Archie Brain in 1981 and introduced commercially in 1988. LMA is a trademark, but the term is used generically for similar devices. Second-generation designs with a gastric drainage channel improve protection against aspiration, though none protects the lungs as fully as a cuffed endotracheal tube.

Related abbreviations

More anesthesia abbreviations

• FOI – Fiberoptic intubation
• GA – General anesthesia
• GETA – General endotracheal anesthesia
• ISB – Interscalene brachial plexus block
• LA – Local anesthesia (local anesthetic)
• LAST – Local anesthetic systemic toxicity
• Mac – Macintosh
• MH – Malignant hyperthermia
• NMB – Neuromuscular blockade (blocker)
• NORA – Non-operating room anesthesia
• PDPH – Post-dural puncture headache
• PNB – Peripheral nerve block

See all 34 anesthesia abbreviations →

Edited by the AbbreviationList.com team. Spotted an error or a missing meaning? Contact us.

This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.