Difficult Airway Management Methods:A Survey in Medical Colleges in India

Abstract

Presence of appropriate equipment and actual procedure employed, greatly affect the outcome in Difficult Airway situation. Medical Colleges being torchbearers in this, have been studied. Consultant presence during intubation in 54% Medical Colleges is commendable. Gum Elastic Bougie is rejected as first choice option by 71% Medical Colleges, though 88% Medical Colleges have mentioned Metal or PVC stylets as first choice options. Blind Nasal Intubation at 33% is the highest 2 nd choice option. The Fibreoptic Bronchoscope and Intubating Laryngeal Mask Airway at 29% and 17% respectively, obtain the third highest choice option. 67% Medical Colleges postpone the difficult airway case for investigations. It facilitates planning and preparation. Planned tracheostomy at combined 4 th and 3 rd choice option of 42% indicates handling of more complicated cases. Flexible fibreoptic stylets and Glidescope are not in the running. Development of low skill procedures for difficult airway is yet to catch up, as does that for invasive airway devices. We believe that this survey is the first such study carried out in Medical Colleges in India.

Keywords

• Difficult Airway Management
• Survey.