Preoperative Airway Assessment Research Articles

Upper airway angle and glottic height: a prospective cohort to evaluate two new features for airway prediction

BackgroundPredicting difficult direct laryngoscopies remains challenging and improvements are needed in preoperative airway assessment. We conceived two new tests (the upper airway angle and the glottic height) and assessed their association with difficult direct laryngoscopies as well as their predictive performance. MethodsA prospective cohort was conducted with 211 patients undergoing general anesthesia for surgical procedures. We assessed the association between difficult laryngoscopies and modified Mallampati Test (MMT), Upper Lip Bite Test (ULBT), Mandibular Length (ML), Neck Circumference (NC), Mouth Opening (MO), Sternomental Distance (SMD), Thyromental Distance (TMD), Upper Airway Angle (UAA), and Glottic Height (GH). We also estimated their predictive values. ResultsDifficult laryngoscopy was presented by 12 patients (5.7%). Six tests were significantly associated with difficult laryngoscopies and their area under the ROC curve, and 95% CIs were as follows: UAA = 88.82 (81.86–95.78); GH = 86.43 (72.67–100); ML = 83.75 (72.77–94.74); NC = 79.17 (64.98–93.36); MO = 65.58 (45.13–86.02); and MMT = 77.89 (68.37–87.41). ConclusionWe have found two new features (the UAA and the GH) to be significantly associated with the occurrence of difficult direct laryngoscopies. They also presented the best predictive performance amongst the nine evaluated tests in our cohort of patients. We cannot ensure, however, these tests to be superior to other regularly used bedside tests based on our estimated 95% CIs.

Use of Point-of-care upper airway ultrasound during preanesthetic airway assessment to predict difficult intubation in adult patients with obesity

BackgroundUltrasound is a simple, noninvasive complementary tool for preoperative airway assessment. This study compared airway ultrasound and conventional airway assessments to predict difficult intubation. MethodsAirway assessment was performed in 99 patients scheduled for bariatric surgery using the following two parameters: El-Ganzouri score (EGS) and oblique transverse ultrasound view. The following measurements were gathered with ultrasound: pre-epiglottic space depth (pre-E), distance from the epiglottis to the mid-vocal cords (E-VC), mean distance between the skin and epiglottis (mDSE), distance between the skin and hyoid bone (DSHB), and tongue volume. After induction of anesthesia, direct laryngoscopy was performed and Cormack–Lehane (CL) classification was reported.CL grades 1 and 2 were classified as the easy laryngoscopy (EL) group, Grades 3 and 4 were classified as having a difficult laryngoscopy (DL). The crucial performance measure was the E-ability VC's to anticipate difficult intubation. Association between these factors and the CL categorization was a significant indication. ResultsIn 12.12 percent of cases, hard intubation was seen. The DL group had a lower E-VC than the EL group (0.9 ± 0.28 cm vs. 1.52 ± 0.3 cm; P -value less than0.001). The DL cutoff point was <1.22 cm, with 91.7% sensitivity and 83.9% specificity. The CL classification indicated a strongly positive association with the EGS and strongly negative association with the E-VC measurement (r = 0.700 and –0.828, consecutively; P-value less than 0.001), moderately positive correlation with mDSE and DSHB (r = 0.433 and 0.566, consecutively; P-value less than 0.001), and weakly positive correlation with pre-E and tongue volume (r = 0.331 and 0.344, respectively; P-value less than 0.001). ConclusionsUltrasound as a complementary measure to anticipate difficult intubation is beneficial with high sensitivity and low specificity in avoiding the hazards of unanticipated, difficult intraoperative laryngeal visualization.

A retrospective analysis of characteristics and perioperative outcomes of rhino-orbital-cerebral mucormycosis in COVID-19 patients posted for surgical debridement under general anaesthesia in a tertiary care hospital

Abstract Background: Rhino-orbital-cerebral mucormycosis (ROCM) has increasingly been reported in patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS CoV-2) disease-2019 (COVID-19) from India. Methods: A retrospective study was done to analyse the demographic and clinical characteristics, treatment received for COVID-19 during the hospital stay, perioperative outcomes in ROCM patients posted for surgical debridement under general anaesthesia from May 2021 to July 2021 at our tertiary care teaching hospital in Tirupati, southern India. Results: Overall, 350 patients with ROCM and COVID-19 had undergone surgical debridement under general anaesthesia Mucormycosis was predominantly seen in males (65.7%). Majority of the cases (40%) were in the age group between 41-50 years. Common comorbidities were: pre-existing diabetes mellitus (DM) (70%), hypertension (32%), new-onset DM/hyperglycaemia (22%) and cardiac disease (8%). The most common sites involved in mucormycosis were the nose and paranasal sinuses (100%) followed by rhino-orbital (63.1%). A history of hospital admission for COVID-19 management was evident in 89.7%; 40.7% of the patients had received oxygen therapy during their hospital stay. The use of corticosteroids for the treatment of COVID-19 was noted in 73.2%. The types of surgical procedures done were: functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) (98.5%) and neurosurgery procedures (3.4%). Revision surgery was performed in 18.5% of the cases. Perioperative complications observed were anticipated difficult intubation during pre-operative airway assessment 35.7%, intraoperative hypertension 8.5%. A patient had developed intraoperative cardiac arrest, post-operative-delayed recovery and needed ventilator requirement. Outcomes of ROCM patients associated with COVID-19 were: discharged 91.7%, death 8.3%. Conclusions: Diabetes mellitus, rampant use of corticosteroids in the treatment of COVID-19 appear to have contributed to the development of ROCM. Early diagnosis, a thorough pre-operative evaluation, surgical debridement are likely to result in better prognosis in COVID-19 patients with ROCM.

Correlation between predictors of difficult mask ventilation and its grading using a risk score

Background: Maintenance of airway patency and oxygenation are the main objectives of face mask ventilation. Preoperative prediction can reduce the incidence of unanticipated difficult mask ventilation (DMV). Aim of Study: The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlation between predictors of DMV and its grading using a risk score. Study Setting and Design: This was an observational study approved by the Institutional Ethics Committee in a tertiary care hospital between 2020 and 2021. Patients and Methods: A total of 110 adult patients scheduled for elective surgery under general anaesthesia were studied. A detailed preoperative airway assessment was done to identify and risk score for seven standard predictors of DMV (male gender, age >55 years, body mass index ≥30 kg/m2, obstructive sleep apnoea [STOP-BANG score], edentulous state, modified Mallampati class and presence of beard). The risk score was correlated with the grading of mask ventilation in the operation theatre performed using the four-point scale as described by Han et al. Results: A statistically significant association was found with standard predictors such as male gender, obstructive sleep apnoea (STOP-BANG score) and the total preoperative risk score with the grading of mask ventilation (P < 0.05 for all). Additional risk factors found statistically significant were interincisor distance, thyromental distance, neck circumference, receding mandible, mandibular jaw protrusion, restricted neck movements, buck teeth and submucosal fibrosis. Conclusion: Prediction of DMV with preoperative risk score can lead to better anticipation of difficult airway management. Appropriate anticipatory airway management could potentially decrease the incidence of failed ventilation and resultant hypoxia.

Study on airway assessment practices for elective procedures during pre-anesthetic evaluation in COVID-19 pandemic- A national online survey (SAFE PAC Survey).

Background and Aims:A pilot study among anesthesiologists, revealed a wide variation among individual practices including skipping pre-anesthetic airway assessment during COVID-19 pandemic because of the fear of getting infected. Risk of infection during pre-anesthetic airway assessment has not been studied. The primary objective of the survey was to evaluate the practices of airway examination by anesthesiologists during this pandemic period. Secondary objectives were to study the effects of institutional factors and other individual practices on risk modification and the incidence of COVID-19 infection among anesthesiologists.Material and Methods:A survey was conducted using a pre-validated questionnaire comprising of 35 questions. The questionnaire was circulated among 4676 members of the Indian Society of Anaesthesiologists (ISA) through Google Forms by email.Results:Of the 4676 members contacted via email, 470 were returned undelivered. From the remaining 4206 questionnaire recipients, 456 completed responses were obtained giving a response rate of 10.8%. Percentage, mean and standard deviation were calculated using EZR software. The conduct of pre-anesthetic airway assessment has decreased by 31.7% during the pandemic, leading to 5.2% of participants encountering unanticipated difficult airway. Among the respondents, eight percent were infected.Conclusion:Avoidance of preoperative airway assessment by anesthesiologists during the COVID-19 pandemic has led to rising unanticipated difficult airway undermining the patient safety. Adherence to recommended practices ensures safety from risk of COVID-19 infection.

Comparative Study of Upper Lip Bite Test and Modified Mallampatti Classification in Predicting Difficult Endotracheal Intubation

Objective: To compare sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values of upper lip bite test and modified mallampatti test to predict difficulty in endotracheal intubation in patients between 16 to 55 years of age. Methods: One hundred ASA1/2 patients admitted for elective surgical procedure requiring endotracheal intubation were prospectively studied to predict difficult intubation in age group 16-55 years of age after obtaining an informed consent. Preoperative Airway assessment was done with modified mallampatti test and upper lip bite test. Results: In our study, eighty four had Upper lip bite test (ULBT) class I and II and sixteen patients had class III. Of these two ofthe ULBT class Iand II and five of the ULBTclassIII had Cormack Lehane grade III . There were one hundred patients predicted to be easy for intubation by MMT (i.e. patients who had ULBT class I and II) out of whom however, we encountered difficult intubation in 6 patients. One in MMT class III also had difficult intubation. None of the patients had class IV MMT.Of the entire one hundred patients, a total of seven patients had difficult intubation, all of whom had Cormack Lehane class III on laryngoscopy. Conclusion: Upper Lip Bite Test (ULBT)is a better test at predicting difficult endotracheal intubation when compared toModified Mallampati Test (MMT). Upper lip bite test and modified mallampatti classification are good predictors of easy intubation rather than difficult intubation. Upper lip bite test should be used in combination with other airway assessment methods viz. Thyromental distance, hyomental distance, inter incisor distance to predict difficult intubation.

A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF MODIFIED MALLAMPATI CLASSIFICATION WITH NECK CIRCUMFERENCE ALONG WITH UPPER LIP BITE TEST IN MORBIDLY OBESE PATIENTS

INTRODUCTION: Anaesthesia in morbidly obese patients can present many challenges. The overriding concern of most anaesthesiologists is airway management, as obese patients have been thought to be at greater risk of difcult airway and/or difcult intubation, when compared with the general population. The term 'difcult airway' has been dened by the American Society of Anaesthesiologists (ASA) taskforce as the clinical situation in which a conventionally trained anaesthesiologist experiences problems with mask ventilation or tracheal intubation or both. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES- To assess the positive predictive value,sensitivity and specicity of MMPC, NC along with ULBT and compare it with Cormack Lehane grading intraoperatively. MATERIALS AND METHOD- Preoperative airway assessment of 200 patients posted for surgery under general anaesthesia was carried out to evaluate the usefulness of multiple screening tests in predicting the ease or difculty of laryngoscopy in obese patients undergoing laparoscopic bariatric surgery. Modied Mallampati test grade III or IV, Upper Lip Bite test grade III, Neck Circumference &gt;40cm were considered as predictors of difcult laryngoscopy. Laryngoscopy was considered difcult if the view on laryngoscopy was Cormack and Lehane grade III or IV. The results were evaluated on the basis of sensitivity, specicity, positive and negative predictive value and accuracy of these tests. RESULT- Group A (ULBT+MMPC) identied 65% of the patients with difcult intubation (sensitivity of 92.86 % &amp; specicity of 33.3 %), whereas Group B (ULBT+NC) identied 75% of the patients with difcult airway (sensitivity 93.75% &amp; specicity of 25%). Pearson Correlation analysis was applied to know the correlation between the various tests and the Cormack Lehane Classication, both the groups had p value of 0.001 , which was highly signicant. CONCLUSION-When multiple predictors are taken into consideration there was a considerable reduction in false negatives with signicant improvement in accuracy of test and hence prediction of difcult laryngoscopy was made easy. Application of multiple predictors in combination can reduce the frequency of unanticipated difculty and unnecessary interventions related to over prediction of airway difculty.

El-Ganzouri multivariate risk index based airway management in head and neck cancer patients: A retrospective analysis of 1000 patients in a tertiary care center.

Background and Aims:Intubation in head and neck carcinoma (HNC) is difficult due to many reasons. Various guidelines recommend strategies for airway management in such anticipated difficult airway cases. However, literature is limited on airway management planning as per the level of difficulty based on airway assessment in these patients. EL-Ganzouri risk index (EGRI) has been proposed to aid in making airway management plan in HNC cases by some authors. This retrospective study was conducted to look at the data related to the pre-anesthetic airway assessment and the airway management plan executed by the anesthesiologists in 1000 patients of HNC in the previous nearly four years in order to determine how the choices made conformed to EGRI scores.Material and Methods:Records of all the patients with oral cancer posted for surgery over four years from January 2014 to December 2017 were retrospectively analyzed for preoperative airway assessment using El Ganzouri risk index assessment (EGRI), the intraoperative technique for nasotracheal intubation, airway management plan, and any intraoperative complications.Results:The risk of predicted airway difficulty was low (EGRI <4) in 38 patients and was high in the rest. The EGRI score was higher in the FOB group [4-9] as compared to DL [2-3] and VL [1-6]. The patients with EGRI >7 were intubated awake and those with EGRI <7 were intubated under general anesthesia (79.8%). Overall, the technique of choice for intubation was fibreoptic bronchoscopy (54%) followed by video laryngoscopy (42.6%).Conclusion:The airway management plan used in a tertiary care cancer center conformed to the approach suggested by the multivariate El Ganzouri risk index (EGRI). EGRI appears to be a useful means to ascertain the appropriate strategies for intubation in head and neck cancer patients.

Neuraxial to general anesthesia conversion has equitable intraoperative and improved post-operative outcomes compared to general anesthesia in cesarean hysterectomy for placenta accreta spectrum (PAS)

Objective Placenta Accreta Spectrum (PAS) represents a series of placental disorders with an estimated incidence of 1:1000. Delivery and subsequent cesarean hysterectomy for PAS is associated with significant maternal morbidity and mortality. Neuraxial anesthesia may be utilized initially with subsequent conversion to general anesthesia after delivery of the fetus as an alternative to initiating with general anesthesia. Methods We performed a case–control study and analyzed 85 cases of pathology-confirmed PAS patients who underwent a cesarean hysterectomy in singleton, non-anomalous, viable pregnancies. All patients were delivered at our institution’s established Placenta Accreta Program from 2005 to 2020. Results Fifty-two (61%) patients underwent general anesthesia and 33 (39%) patients underwent neuraxial anesthesia (collectively spinal, epidural, and combined spinal-epidural) converted to general anesthesia after cesarean delivery. Baseline demographics between groups were similar. Pre-operative ASA airway assessment of III/IV was equivalent between groups (94 and 82%, p = .08). Intraoperatively, neuraxial conversion and general anesthesia were equal with respect to operative time (241 vs. 261 min, p = .47), estimated blood loss (6039 vs. 8134 mL, p = .51), and composite maternal morbidity (84.6 vs. 75.8%, p = .40). Post-operatively, ICU admission (47 vs. 46%, p = 1.0) and intensive care length of stay was equivalent (p = .07), yet the total post-operative length of stay was significantly reduced in patients who underwent neuraxial anesthesia (3.76 vs. 6.35 days, p = .02). In addition, while general anesthesia was associated with a greater sonographic suspicion for placenta percreta (40 vs. 12%, p = .007), final pathology was equivalent (52 vs. 60%, p = .5). Conclusions Taken together, our data show neuraxial conversion to general anesthesia has equivalent intra-operative parameters with improved post-operative outcomes when compared to general anesthesia alone in the case of cesarean hysterectomy for Placenta Accreta Spectrum disorders.

Is Mallampati classification a good screening test? A prospective cohort evaluating the predictive values of Mallampati test at different thresholds

BackgroundThere is currently some discussion over the actual usefulness of performing preoperative upper airway assessment to predict difficult airways. In this field, modified Mallampati test (MMT) is a widespread tool used for prediction of difficult airways showing only a feeble predictive performance as a diagnostic test. We therefore aimed at evaluating if MMT test would perform better when used as a screening test rather than diagnostic. MethodsAn accuracy prospective study was conducted with 570 patients undergoing general anesthesia for surgical procedures. We collected preoperatively data on sex, age, weight, height, body mass index (BMI), ASA physical status, and MMT. The main outcome was difficult laryngoscopy defined as Cormack and Lahane classes 3 or 4. Bivariate analyses were performed to build three different predictive models with their ROC curves. ResultsDifficult laryngoscopy was reported in 36 patients (6.32%). Sex, ASA physical status, and MMT were associated with difficult laryngoscopy, while body mass index (BMI) was not. The MMT cut-off with the highest odds ratio was the class II, which also presented significantly higher sensitivity (94.44%). The balanced accuracy was 67.11% (95% CI: 62.78...71.44%) for the cut-off of class II and 71.68% (95% CI: 63.83...79.54) for the class III. ConclusionMMT seems to be more clinically useful when the class II is employed as the threshold for possible difficult laryngoscopies. At this cut-off, MMT shows the considerable highest sensitivity plus the highest odds ratio, prioritizing thus the anticipation of difficult laryngoscopies.

Identification of difficult to intubate patients from frontal face images using an ensemble of deep learning models.

Failure to identify difficult intubation is the leading cause of anesthesia-related death and morbidity. Despite preoperative airway assessment, 75-93% of difficult intubations are unanticipated, and airway examination methods underperform, with sensitivities of 20-62% and specificities of 82-97%. To overcome these impediments, we aim to develop a deep learning model to identify difficult to intubate patients using frontal face images. We proposed an ensemble of convolutional neural networks which leverages a database of celebrity facial images to learn robust features of multiple face regions. This ensemble extracts features from patient images (n=152) which are subsequently classified by a respective ensemble of attention-based multiple instance learning models. Through majority voting, a patient is classified as difficult or easy to intubate. Whereas two conventional bedside tests resulted in AUCs of 0.6042 and 0.4661, the proposed method resulted in an AUC of 0.7105 using a cohort of 76 difficult and 76 easy to intubate patients. Generic features yielded AUCs of 0.4654-0.6278. The proposed model can operate at high sensitivity and low specificity (0.9079 and 0.4474) or low sensitivity and high specificity (0.3684 and 0.9605). The proposed ensembled model outperforms conventional bedside tests and generic features. Side facial images may improve the performance of the proposed model. The proposed method significantly surpasses conventional bedside tests and deep learning methods. We expect our model will play an important role in developing deep learning methods where frontal face features play an important role.

Clinical Relevance of Mallampati Grading in Predicting Difficult Intubation in the Era of Various New Clinical Predictors.

Background and aimsManagement of difficult airway can be associated with serious morbidity and mortality and it is a basic and serious concern for anesthesiologists. The preoperative airway assessment is done by using conventional clinical predictors. The present study was conducted to find the correlation of various new clinical predictors with the Cormack-Lehane (CL) grade at the laryngoscopic view in patients undergoing general anesthesia with endotracheal intubation.Settings and designThe prospective, comparative, observational, double-blind study was carried at Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow.Materials and methodsThe study was conducted in 150 patients undergoing elective surgery under general anaesthesia. The primary outcome was the measurement of clinical airway assessment preoperatively based on certain parameters (inter incisor gap (IIG), modified Mallampati grading (MPG), neck circumference/thyromental distance (NC/TMD), ratio of height to thyromental distance (RHTMD)). The secondary outcome was the correlation of clinical airway assessment with CL grading to predict difficult intubation. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive values (NPV) of the parameters were assessed.Statistical analysisThe association between different predictors and difficult laryngoscopy was evaluated using binary univariate logistic regression and multivariate logistic regression and the significant clinical predictors were assessed by using Pearson’s correlation. A p-value of < 0.05 was considered significant.ResultsThe incidence of difficult intubation in this study was 13.3%. Among the clinical predictors, the Mallampati grading has the maximum receiver operating characteristic (ROC) and area under the curve (AUC) with 86.7 % sensitivity to predict difficult laryngoscopy followed by NC/TMD and body mass index.ConclusionModified Mallampati grading still holds its significant value among new predictors in the assessment of difficult laryngoscopy.

Incidence of Difficult Laryngoscopy in Adult Congenital Heart Disease Patients: A Retrospective Cohort Study

To identify the incidence of difficult intubation in patients with adult congenital heart disease (ACHD) undergoing cardiac surgery or catheterization. A retrospective cohort study. A single-center academic quaternary pediatric hospital. All patients were >18 years of age with ACHD undergoing endotracheal intubation within the Heart Center at Texas Children's Hospital between January 2012 and December 2019. None. A retrospective chart review was performed, including patient demographics, preoperative airway assessment and intraoperative airway management characteristics. Airways were categorized as difficult using the Pediatric Difficult Intubation registry operational definitions. For patients classified as having a difficult airway, the preoperative airway examination findings were recorded in addition to factors associated with difficult airway in the adult. The study authors identified 1,029 patients with ACHD who underwent procedures with anesthesia at their institution and were analyzed for the presence of difficult airway. In total, 878 patients were intubated, with 4.3% (n=38) identified to have difficult airway. The presence of concomitant syndromes was greater in patients with difficult intubations and those who were not intubated compared with those who were not difficult intubations (23.7% and 17.2 v 7.5; p < 0.001), respectively. Most patients did not have typical signs associated with difficult intubation. The study authors identified an incidence of difficult laryngoscopy in their cohort of ACHD patients to be 4.3%. Their incidences of difficult laryngoscopy were fewer than that reported in adult patients with noncongenital heart disease. Most importantly, the risk factors associated with difficult laryngoscopy in the normal adult may be different from those presenting with ACHD, necessitating further investigation.

Role of Acromioaxillosuprasternal Notch Index (AASI) as a New Predictor of Difficult Visualization of Larynx in Comparison with Modified Mallampati Test

Background: Pre-operative airway assessment should be able to predict potential difficult airway, allowing management plan to be developed ahead of time. Hence this study was aimed to compare Acromio-AxilloSuprasternal Notch Index (AASI), a new simple bedside test with Modified Mallampati Test (MMP) in predicting difficult visualization of larynx. Materials and Methods: After ethical committee clearance and informed written consent, 320 patients of ASA I and II posted for elective surgery under general anaesthesia were included in this study. AASI and MMP were noted during preanaesthetic airway assessment. After induction of anaesthesia, a blinded and experienced anaesthetist did laryngoscopy, intubated the patient and noted Cormack-Lehane(CL) grading of laryngeal view. The data observed was analysed using Receiver operating characteristic curve(ROC) analysis to compare AASI and MMP. A P value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Incidence of Difficult Visualization of Larynx(DVL) in our study was 8.4%. AASI had better Sensitivity(88.89% v/s 22.22%), Specificity(98.63% v/s 95.22%),Positive predictive value (85.71% v/s 26.32%), Negative predictive value (98.97% v/s 93%) and Diagnostic accuracy(97.81% v/s 89.03%) in comparison with MMP respectively (P &lt;0.001) when cut off reference value of 0.56 AASI was taken. Conclusion: AASI is a better predictor of difficult laryngoscopy with a higher sensitivity and positive predictive value in comparison with MMP. Hence AASI can be used as a simple bedside test to predict difficult airway during pre-anaesthetic airway assessment. Keywords: Acromioaxillosuprasternal notch index (AASI); Modified Mallampati test (MMP); Cormack-Lehane (CL) grade; Difficult visualization of larynx (DVL); Airway assessment.

Direct laryngoscopy versus video laryngoscopy for expected difficult tracheal intubation a prospective study

: Difficult tracheal intubation still contributes significantly to anaesthesia related morbidity and mortality. Poor visualisation of laryngeal structures and multiple attempts at intubation are the leading causes with the conventional laryngoscopes. Though the recently introduced video assisted devices have significantly improved the ease of intubation by their superior laryngeal visualisation, the duration of intubation may vary. Here we compared the ease of tracheal intubation using Macintosh conventional direct laryngoscope (DL) and C- MAC videolaryngoscope (VL) in patients with expected difficult tracheal intubation.A total of 140 patients undergoing elective surgery under general anaesthesia with Modified Mallampati Class 3 and 4 found during the preoperative airway assessment were included in our study with 70 patients in each group. We compared the duration of tracheal intubation, visualisation of the laryngeal inlet, additional optimising manoeuvres required, and number of attempts at intubation and incidence of oral trauma assessed at extubation between the two groups.: Analysis done using Statistical Packages for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software; Windows version 11.0 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA).Intubation time was significantly longer in patients with VL than DL (P 0.0001) whereas visualisation of laryngeal inlet was significantly better with VL (P 0.001). Additional optimising manoeuvres (P 0.001) and incidence of oral trauma (P 0.012) were significantly less with VL whereas intubation attempts were found comparable (P 0.586).: Though VL provided significantly better laryngeal view with less need for optimising manoeuvres and less oral trauma compared to DL, the duration of intubation was significantly more with the former.

Ratios of Height-to-Thyromental Distance and Height-to-Sternomental Distance as Predictors of Difficult Airway in Patients Posted for General Anaesthesia.

Preoperative airway assessment and anticipation of a difficult airway is of utmost critical value in anesthesiology as failure to secure airway can lead to morbidity and mortality. The study evaluated ratio of height-to-thyromental distance (RHTMD) and ratio of height-to-sternomental distance (RHSMD) as predictors of a difficult airway. The prospective observational study evaluated 131 adult participants scheduled for elective surgery under general anesthesia. In addition to the preoperative airway assessment, RHTMD and RHSMD were calculated. Correlation of these ratios with the Cormack-Lehane grading of glottis visualisation on direct laryngoscopic view following induction of anesthesia was analyzed. The optimal cut-off point for RHTMD and RHSMD were identified using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. The incidence of difficult intubation was 14.50%. The cut-off values for RHTMD and RHSMD were ＜ 21.50 (sensitivity 85.25%, specificity 100.00%) and ＜ 10.50 (sensitivity 84.21%, specificity 96.42%) respectively for predicting difficult airway. The area under the curve with 95% confidence interval for RHTMD was 0.875 (0.730-1.000) and that for RHSMD was 0.890 (0.777-1.000). RHTMD was found to be a better predictor of difficult intubation and restricted laryngoscopic view compared to RHSMD.

Preoperative descriptive upper airway assessment in craniomaxillofacial tumor

Giant osteoma appears as a benign nonodontogenic tumor of craniofacial and jaw bones with potential growth. This type of tumor affects different maxillofacial regions, thus requiring proper planning to resolve the patient’s esthetic and/or functional complaints. Medial impairment of the mandible can compromise upper airway (UA) dimensions, leading to respiratory disorders. However, to date, there is a lack of information in the literature about 3D UA imaging protocols for surgical planning. Accurate evaluation, elucidating the involvement of the upper airway patency, may demonstrate the need and urgency for surgical intervention. Therefore, our study aim report a case of a giant mandibular osteoma, associated with a sudden constriction of the oropharyngeal space that was assessed by a Computer Software. The UA was assessed all dimensions, and determining the surgical procedure. In follow up could observed an improvement of UA and patient complain. This study emphasizes the importance of the detailed preoperative assessment of giant osteoma to determinate the correct approach.

General anesthesia for emergency cesarean delivery: simulation-based evaluation of residents

IntroductionDecreased rates of General Anesthesia (GA) for Cesarean Section (C-section) create a learning problem for anesthesia trainees. In this context, training the management of GA for C-section using simulation techniques allows a safe environment for exposure, learning, performance improvement, and capability retention. ObjectiveAnalyze anesthesia residents’ performance regarding a simulated clinical case of GA for emergency C-section and identify specific deficits in skill acquisition. MethodsBetween 2015 and 2018, we evaluated the performance of 25 anesthesiology residents challenged by a simulated clinical case of GA for emergency C-section after the conclusion of the obstetric anesthesia rotation. Each resident performed the clinical case once followed by the assessment of their performance. Final scores were given according to the completion rate of 14-tasks, going from 0% to 100%. Two study groups were considered according to residency year for subsequent comparison of results (Group 1, second and third residency years and Group 2, fourth and fifth residency years). Results and discussionMean score was 64.29% ± 13.62. Comparatively, Group 1 obtained a higher score than Group 2 (70.63% ± 14.02 vs. 60.27% ± 11.94), although with no statistically significant difference (p = 0.063). The tasks most frequently accomplished were opioid administration (100%), rapid sequence technique (100%), pre-oxygenation (92%), gastric content aspiration prophylaxis (84%), and previous clinical history (84%). Conversely, the tasks less frequently accomplished were confirming presence of pediatrician (64%), oxytocin administration (56%), PONV prophylaxis (56%), and preoperative airway assessment (48%). ConclusionThe performance of the residents observed in this study was comparable to results previously published. The final score did not depend on the residency year.

The evaluation of maximum condyle-tragus distance can predict difficult airway management without exposing upper respiratory tract; a prospective observational study

BackgroundRoutine preoperative methods to assess airway such as the interincisor distance (IID), Mallampati classification, and upper lip bite test (ULBT) have a certain risk of upper respiratory tract exposure and virus spread. Condyle-tragus maximal distance(C-TMD) can be used to assess the airway, and does not require the patient to expose the upper respiratory tract, but its value in predicting difficult laryngoscopy compared to other indicators (Mallampati classification, IID, and ULBT) remains unknown. The purpose of this study was to observe the value of C-TMD to predict difficult laryngoscopy and the influence on intubation time and intubation attempts, and provide a new idea for preoperative airway assessment during epidemic.MethodsAdult patients undergoing general anesthesia and tracheal intubation were enrolled. IID, Mallampati classification, ULBT, and C-TMD of each patient were evaluated before the initiation of anesthesia. The primary outcome was intubation time. The secondary outcomes were difficult laryngoscopy defined as the Cormack-Lehane Level > grade 2 and the number of intubation attempts.ResultsThree hundred four patients were successfully enrolled and completed the study, 39 patients were identified as difficult laryngoscopy. The intubation time was shorter with the C-TMD>1 finger group 46.8 ± 7.3 s, compared with the C-TMD<1 finger group 50.8 ± 8.6 s (p<0.01). First attempt success rate was higher in the C-TMD>1 finger group 98.9% than in the C-TMD<1 finger group 87.1% (P<0.01). The correlation between the C-TMD and Cormack-Lehane Level was 0.317 (Spearman correlation coefficient, P<0.001), and the area under the ROC curve was 0.699 (P<0.01). The C-TMD < 1 finger width was the most consistent with difficult laryngoscopy (κ = 0.485;95%CI:0.286–0.612) and its OR value was 10.09 (95%CI: 4.19–24.28), sensitivity was 0.469 (95%CI: 0.325–0.617), specificity was 0.929 (95%CI: 0.877–0.964), positive predictive value was 0.676 (95%CI: 0.484–0.745), negative predictive value was 0.847 (95%CI: 0.825–0.865).ConclusionCompared with the IID, Mallampati classification and ULBT, C-TMD has higher value in predicting difficult laryngoscopy and does not require the exposure of upper respiratory tract.Trial registrationThe study was registered on October 21, 2019 in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR1900026775).

Comparison of modified Mallampati test and thyromental height test for preoperative airway assessment: A prospective observational study

Background: Prevision of a potentially difficult airway in the preoperative period is imperative. The available tools are evaluation of mouth opening, Mallampati test; atlanto-occipital extension; hyomental, thyromental, and sternomental distances; and upper lip bite test; thyromental height test (TMHT) is a new indicator. Aims: To compare the effectiveness of preoperative anaesthetic airway evaluation methods of TMHT and Modified mallampati test (MMT) to predict the difficulty in intubation. Materials and Methods: A prospective observational study was aimed to compare the effectiveness of preoperative anesthetic airway evaluation methods of TMHT and modified Mallampati test (MMT) to predict the difficulty in intubation. A total of 150 subjects were included in this study. MMT and TMHT were compared, and sensitivity, specificity, predictive values, and accuracy were calculated. Results: On comparison, we found TMHT to be more sensitive (93.33%) than MMT (77.78%); both tests have high specificity (TMHT 91.43%; MMT 81.90%). Positive predictive value was 82.35% for TMHT and 64.81% for MMT. Similarly, negative predictive value was 96.97% for TMHT and 89.58% for MMT. Accuracy was 92.00% for TMHT and 80.66% for MMT. Conclusions: TMHT can predict difficult intubation better than MMT (high positive predictive value). However, both TMHT and MMT predict easy intubations effectively, their negative predictive values being high.