A Prospective Observational Study to predict Difficult Intubation using Ultrasound guided upper airway parameters

Airway management remains a crucial part of perioperative care. The Conventional approach to assessing potential difficult airway emphasises use of clinical parameters such as Mallampati classification, Neck mobility, Thyromental distance, Inter-incisor gap, Mouth opening etc. Clinical findings help predict a higher likelihood of difficult tracheal intubation, but no clinical result is reliable to exclude difficult intubation. ULTRASOUND as an adjunct to Clinical Examination can provide the Clinician with a dynamic anatomical airway assessment. Several USG measurements such as TONGUE THICKNESS, SOFT TISSUE THICKNESS AT THE LEVEL OF HYOID BONE, SOFT TISSUE THICKNESS AT THE LEVEL OF THYROHYOID MEMBRANE, SOFT TISSUE THICKNESS AT THE LEVEL OF VOCAL CORD are preferred in this study considering ease and rapidity in locating anatomical landmarks which allows precise measurements and their potential ability to predict DIFFICULT INTUBATION. In this study myself under the guidance of Dr Siddartha Seekala will be assessing the upper airway of the patients during preoperative assessment clinic followed by Ultrasound guided upper airway examination with informed consent prior to the time of induction of general anaesthesia. The measurements will be noted and formulated into study analysis. A favourable outcome is expected leaning more towards the aforesaid ultrasound guided upper airway parameters to predict the difficult intubation in relation to the conventional upper airway assessment.