Do conventional predictors of “Difficult airway” truly predict difficult airway? Experience with cleft surgeries

Abstract

Background: We designed this prospective observational study in order to evaluate whether conventional predictors of “Difficult airway” truly predict difficult airway in patients who present for cleft surgeries at Cleft Centre Peradeniya. Methods: One hundred and two babies between the ages of 2 months to 18 months who underwent cleft lip or palate repairs at Cleft centre, Peradeniya August 2015 to April 2016 were included in the study. For each of the patients, we gave a grade for the degree of mouth opening and the laryngoscopic view prior to surgery. Results: Out of the 102 participants, 9.8% of patients had difficult laryngoscopy. At least one out of seventeen studied “predictors of difficult airway,” was found in seven patients out of the 10 in whom laryngoscopy was difficult. There was a significant association of difficult laryngoscopy with reduced mouth opening. Furthermore, factors such as the presence of microstomia, micrognathia, retrognathia, and short neck were significantly associated with difficult laryngoscopy in Cleft Lip and Cleft palate patients who underwent surgical repair.

Keywords

• airway
• laryngoscopy
• cleft surgery
• anaesthesia