Determination of the Appropriate Intubation Method in Patients With Acromegaly: Comparison of Direct Laryngoscopy and Video Laryngoscopy

This prospective observational study will be conducted at Basaksehir Cam and Sakura City Hospital between July 1, 2026, and August 31, 2026. The study population will include adult patients with acromegaly and adult patients with nonfunctioning pituitary adenomas who are scheduled for elective surgery under general anesthesia requiring endotracheal intubation.

Eligible patients will undergo routine preoperative airway assessment. Recorded variables will include age, sex, height, body weight, body mass index, history of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, comorbid diseases, previous operations, presence of hypopituitarism, preoperative growth hormone level, preoperative insulin-like growth factor-1 level, IGF-1 index, Mallampati score, and other airway-related clinical parameters.

During airway management, laryngoscopic findings obtained with direct laryngoscopy and video laryngoscopy will be recorded. The modified Cormack-Lehane classification will be used to assess glottic visualization. Intubation-related variables, including first-attempt success, time to successful intubation, number of intubation attempts, need for adjunct airway maneuvers or devices, oxygen desaturation, and airway trauma, will also be documented.

The primary objective of the study is to compare laryngoscopic findings and intubation characteristics in patients with acromegaly and to evaluate whether video laryngoscopy provides advantages over direct laryngoscopy in this patient group. The secondary objective is to identify clinical, hormonal, and airway-related predictors of difficult laryngoscopy or difficult intubation in patients with acromegaly.