Correlación entre predictores de Vía Aérea Difícil, anticipación de dificultad y manejo definitivo en Chile

Up to date, there is no other study that characterizes chilean population with regard to airway management. This is a preliminary report with this objective. A total of 564 patients scheduled for different elective surgery. For difficult mask ventilation we evaluated age >55 y, presence of beard, IMC > 26, snoring history, and edentulism. For difficult intubation we evaluated Mallampati sign, upper lip bite test, interincisors distance, thyromental distance and cervical mobility. Difficult ventilation was predicted in 40 cases (7,1%), difficult intubation in 46 (8,15%) and both in 14 (2,5%). Ventilation was effectively difficult in 9 cases (2,6%). Laryngoscopy was performed in 295 patients and was considered difficult  (grades IIIa, IIIb and IV) in 10,2%. According to Adnet score, intubation was has a moderate to severe difficulty in 7 cases (2,4%). A stylet was used in 17 (5,8%) and a bougie in 5 (1,72%) cases. No failed intubations were recorded. Compared to the reported incidence, we found about half incidence of both difficult ventilation and intubation. To predict difficult ventilation, at least 4 of the 5 factors should be present.