Prediction of Difficult Airway : Comparison between individual predictor with combination of pre-operative predictors.

Dr Abid Banavasi; Dr. Habib Rahaman A A; Dr. Harish Hegde

Volume : VIII, Issue : XII, December - 2019

Prediction of Difficult Airway : Comparison between individual predictor with combination of pre-operative predictors.

Dr Abid Banavasi, Dr. Habib Rahaman A A, Dr. Harish Hegde

Abstract :

Background and Aims: Inability to intubate trachea is one of the most important cause of Anaesthesia related mortality and hypoxic ain injury. Various pre–operative tests were devised for prediction of difficult intubation but have variable positive predictive value, sensitivity and specificity. We aimed to compare the commonly used predictive tests Modified Mallampati test, Thyromental Distance and Neck circumference to assess the predict difficult intubation, individually and in combination. 5. Material and Methods: 115 adult patients of ASA 1 & 2 undergoing elective general surgical procedures under general anaesthesia with endotracheal intubation in a Medical College Hospital were the subjects in this study. Patients airway were assessed by modified Mallampati test, neck circumference and thyromental distance. Patients in whom fie optic intubation was planned were excluded. Difficulty in Intubation was assessed by Cormack and Lehane�s grading. Which is the gold standard to assess difficulty in intubation. 6. Results: Modified Mallampati Test has specificity of 61.54% and Sensitivity of 86.14% . Thyromental Distance has a specificity of 61.54% and Sensitivity 42.57%. Neck circumference has a specificity of 15.38% and Sensitivity of 100%. When all the three tests combined specificity increased to 82.3% and Sensitivity increased to 100%. 7. Conclusion: By combining the three p predictors we can increase the sensitivity and specificity of prediction there by reducing false arms about difficult intubation and increase the true positive difficult intubation so that advanced airway management equipments can be kept ready.