Comparative study of airway assessment tests to predict difficult laryngoscopy & intubation

Authors : Anjali Bhure, Ankush Ankush, Priyanka P. Deshmukh, Yasha Tiwari

DOI : 10.18231/j.ijca.2019.032

Volume : 6

Issue : 2

Year : 2019

Page No : 172-179

Introduction: Prediction of potentially difficult airway management during pre-operative period is determined by anatomy of oropharynx & range of movement of neck, clinically evaluated by various tests like Modified Mallampati Test, Upper Lip BiteTest, Thyromental Distance, ratio of Height to thyromental distance etc. We performed a study to compare significant direct relationship between MMT, ULBT, TMD, RHTMD & Cormack-Lehane (C-L) scale.
Aims and Objective: 1) To elucidate the role of MMT, ULBT, TMD and RHTMD as simple bedside airway predictive tests & to study their direct correlation with difficult laryngoscopic view, using C-L grading.
2) To compare their ability to predict difficult laryngoscopy in various combinations.

Materials and Methods: Type of study - prospective, observational & single blind.
Sample Size: 450, 20-60 years, male/female, ASA I/II.
Pre-operatively anaesthesiologist not involved in intubation evaluated & assessed ULBT, MMT & TMD in sitting position. Patient induced & laryngoscopy performed with Macintosh blade No.3 in sniffing position & laryngoscopic view determined by C-L grading.

Result: On comparing CL-grading with other tests such as MMT, ULBT, TMD & RH MD in assessing difficult intubation, it was observed that there was statistically significant association with p <0>
Conclusion: We conclude that no single airway predictor test is sufficient for predicting difficult intubation. So, a combination of two or more airway predictor tests may predict difficult airway better.

Keywords: Difficult intubation, Mallampati test, Upper lip bite test, Thyromental distance, RHTMD.


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