COMPARISON OF TWO METHODS FOR PREDICTING DIFFICULT INTUBATION

• Published in: British journal of anaesthesia : BJA Vol. 66; no. 3; pp. 305 - 309
• Main Authors: OATES, J.D.L., MACLEOD, A.D., OATES, P.D., PEARSALL, F.J., HOWIE, J.C., MURRAY, G.D.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.03.1991; Oxford University Press
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Anesthesia; Anesthesia. Intensive care medicine. Transfusions. Cell therapy and gene therapy; Biological and medical sciences; Complications: difficult intubation Intubation; Female; General anesthesia. Technics. Complications. Neuromuscular blocking. Premedication. Surgical preparation. Sedation; Humans; Intubation, Intratracheal; Laryngoscopy; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Physical Examination - methods; Prospective Studies; Risk Factors; tracheal: preoperative assessment; Complications: difficult intubation Intubation; tracheal: preoperative assessment; Human; Resistance; Evaluation scale; Interindividual comparison; General anesthesia; Intubation; Measurement method; Trachea; Comparative study; Laryngoscopy
• ISSN: 0007-0912; 1471-6771
• DOI: 10.1093/bja/66.3.305

Two methods of predicting difficult laryngos-copy were compared prospectively. Mallampati class and Wilson risk-sum were determined before operation and laryngeal view graded in 675 patients. Both tests identified five of 12 difficult laryngoscopies; twice as many patients were predicted to be difficult by Mallampati classification than by Wilson risk-sum. Interobserver variation was minimal using Wilson risk-sum, but considerable for Mallampati classification. We prefer the Wilson risk-sum for assessment of the airway, while noting that both tests have poor sensitivities.