Predictive Values of Preoperative Tests for Difficult Laryngoscopy and Intubation in Adult Patients at Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital

摘要

Introduction The significance of difficult or failed tracheal intubation following induction is a well-recognized cause of morbidity and mortality in anesthetic practice. Nevertheless, the need to predict potentially difficult tracheal intubation has received a little attention. During routine anesthesia, the incidence of difficult tracheal intubation has been estimated at 1.5%–8% of general anesthetics. Difficulties in intubation have been associated with serious complications, such as brain damage or death, particularly when failed intubation has occurred. Occasionally, in a patient with a difficult airway, the anesthetist is faced with the situation where mask ventilation proves difficult or impossible. This is one of the most critical emergencies that may be faced in the practice of anesthesia. If the anesthetist can predict which patients are likely to prove difficult to intubate, he/she may reduce the risks of anesthesia considerably. In Ethiopia, there are no data on the magnitude of difficult laryngoscopic tracheal intubation and no standard guidelines for preoperative tests. The main concern of this study was to provide information on the magnitude of difficult laryngoscopic intubation and to determine valuable preoperative tests to predict difficult laryngoscopy and intubation in patients with apparently normal airways which can help anesthetists to improve preoperative airway assessment and contribute to decrease anesthesia-related morbidity and mortality.