Changes in Difficult Airway Markers After Surgery for Obstructive Sleep Apnoea Syndrome

The incidence of difficult airway is approximately one in 1000 cases and it is a life-threatening condition in perioperative patients. Many classifications, guidelines and appæroaches have been proposed to recognise patients with difficult airway. Even the most well-known classifications are not 100% successful in predicting difficult airway . For this reason, some unexpected difficult airway cases are encountered and their management is the subject of new research in the literature .

Obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS) is associated with the possibility of difficult airway. Perioperative airway complications may also increase in patients with OSAS. Complications related with cardiac, pulmonary, endocrine and other systems are observed in patients living with a diagnosis of OSAS for a long time. The rate of complications is increased especially in patients with prolonged apnoea episodes during sleep.Anaesthesia process also poses a risk for OSAS patients. In patients receiving positive airway pressure therapy at home, intensive care or close anaesthesia is required at the end of the operation.follow-up is applied. In addition, OSAS patients are suitable candidates for day surgery, which is increasing day by day.

Reducing the symptoms with surgical treatment before OSAS is complicated can also reduce the effects that may occur in the future. Surgeries such as anterior uvulopalatinoplasty are frequently performed in these patients. OSAS patients require close follow-up and evaluation in terms of anaesthesia before these surgeries. A decrease in symptoms after surgery has been shown in some publications.Our study will be conducted in prospective observational status. Within the study period (01.05.2024-01.05.2025), patients who will undergo OSAS surgery by the ENT clinic in our operating theatres in a 12-month period will be included. In the preoperative evaluation of these patients; STOP-BANG and Epworth sleepiness test, SF-12 quality of life scales and laboratory values, if any, echocardiography results will be collected.

Weight, mallampati scores, neck circumference, thyromental distances and demographic data will be recorded at the preoperative visit.

After induction of anaesthesia, parameters such as mask ventilation, difficulty in laryngoscopy and intubation, Cormack-Lehane scores on direct laryngoscopy and the need for advanced airway techniques will be recorded.