Correlation between Preoperative Ultrasonographic Airway Assessment and Laryngoscopic View in Oncological Patients - A Prospective Observational Study

Airway assessment is an essential aspect of preanesthetic assessment. Presently, prediction of difficult airway is based on clinical assessment of airway. Difficult tracheal intubation is associated with serious morbidity and mortality and cannot be always predicted based on preoperative airway assessment using conventional clinical predictors. Despite the use of various clinical parameters, the diagnostic accuracy of a preanesthetic airway assessment in predicting difficult intubation is very low. There is a search for non-invasive and more accurate tools for airway assessment to overcome the above limitations of clinical airway assessment tests. Portable, non-invasive and point of care characteristics of ultrasonography can aid in airway assessment and prediction of difficult laryngoscopy. Ultrasound has been evolving as a useful device for airway assessment. The present study will be conducted to assess the usefulness of various sonographic airway parameters in predicting difficult laryngoscopy.