This study is designed to know whether by taking measurements of different external features of mouth and neck would help in predicting old patients whose vocal chords could be difficult to visualize under general anaesthesia.

Not yet recruiting

Brief Summary: Unanticipated difficult airway can result in significant morbidity and mortality to the patients. So preoperative assessment of patientâ€™ airway is very crucial for anaesthesiologists. The elderly population is gradually increasing. As a result the importance of evaluating the difficulty in the elderly has been increasing. Although the evidence is still limited previous studies have shown the elder patients predisposing to have difficult airway. Difficult endotracheal intubation is expected in geriatric patients due to degenerative changes such as dental loss and head and neck changes. Results of this study will help us in evaluating validity indexes of common airway predictors of difficult airway in elderly patients. Accurate prediction of difficult airway in geriatric patients can reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with airway management as these patients are already at increased risk.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria

Patient above 65 year of age, ASA grade I and II, of any sex posted for surgery under general anaesthesia with endotracheal intubation.

Exclusion Criteria

Patients posted for Emergency surgery, patients with neck burn contracture, midline neck swelling, oral surgery, uncooperative patients.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
To determine validity indexes for mallampatti grading, interincisor gap, thyromental distance, sternomental distance, upper lip bite test, ratio of height to thyromental distance, and thyromental height test for predicting difficult laryngoscopy in geriatric patients.	preoperative ( during preanaesthetic check up), intraoperative ( intubation)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
To evaluate the predictive role of basic physical characteristics ( weight, height, BMI) and dentition, in predicting difficult airway in geriatric patients	preoperative ( during preanaesthetic check up), intraoperative ( intubation)
To determine the frequency of difficult endotracheal intubation in elderly patients.	Intraoperative ( intubation)

Locations (1): Hamdard Institute of Medical Sciences and Research
🇮🇳
South, DELHI, India
Hamdard Institute of Medical Sciences and Research
🇮🇳South, DELHI, India
Pratibha Panjiar
Principal investigator
9311657822
pratibha.panjiar@gmail.com