Correlation between preoperative Ultrasonographic airway assessment and Laryngoscopic view in adult patients: A prospective observational study

Predicting difficult laryngoscopy by evaluation of airway is very important in anaesthesia practice.there are several clinical predictors for assesment of difficult airway. Ultrasonography has evolved as a simple, non invasive , portable and rapidly performed technique for airway assessment. The main advantage of Ultrasound in anaesthesia seems to be related to its predictive power for difficult airway. The present study is being done  with the aim of finding some correlation between preoperative sonographic airway assessment of skin to hyoid bone distance, skin to epiglottis distance and the Cormack–Lehane (CL) grade at laryngoscopic view.This is a prospective observational study. After attaining approval from the institute ethics committee, and obtaining informed written consents, 50 patients of American Society of Anaesthesiologists (ASA) physical status I and II undergoing elective surgeries requiring general anaesthesia with endotracheal intubation were included in the study. Patients with deformity of face and neck, history of surgery or trauma of face, neck, larynx, pharynx and epiglottis, past history of difficult intubation, and those who are edentulous were excluded. Patients were in supine position with the head in the “sniffing” position and distance from the skin to the hyoid bone, skin to epiglottis will be measured using linear probe in transverse plane. The results will be  correlated with Cormack- Lehane grading observed.