Abstract

ECHEVARRIA HERNANDEZ, Ana Teresa et al. Prediction tests for airways assessment in surgery patient. Rev cuba anestesiol reanim [online]. 2010, vol.9, n.3, pp.175-185. ISSN 1726-6718.

Introduction: The difficulties in the airway approach are nowadays the first cause of anesthesia cardiac arrest and account for the 50% of the non-fatal severe complications of anesthetic origin. Objectives: To identify the power of different tests to prediction of difficulty level at intubation. Method: A cross-sectional, analytical and observational study was conducted in patients who are candidates for elective surgical procedures using orotracheal general anesthesia at the "Dr. Luís Díaz Soto" Medical Surgical Hospital for 2007 year. Patients were randomly divided into two groups: The A group undergoes the Mallampati's test only whereas the B group also undergoes the measurement of the mentothyroid distance, of inter-incisors distance, mandibular protrusion and extent of the atlanto-occipital joint classified as an easy or difficult intubation. The analyzed variables were: age, body mass index (BMI), sex correlating with the different prediction tests, as well as the Cormack and Lehane classification to determine the difficulty level for intubation by direct laryngoscopy. Results: Both groups were similar as regards the anthropometrics features. The modified Mallampati test prediction value improved combining with the remainder prognostic tests where the whole association had greater sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative values. Conclusions: The association of several tests and its correlation has a great power to predict the difficulty level regarding only in the case of the Mallampati test.

Keywords : Mallampati; difficult airway; prediction tests.

        · abstract in Spanish     · text in Spanish     · Spanish ( pdf )