Ultrasound as a complement in the management of the airway

Abstract

Objective: To analyze the usefulness of ultrasound (US) as a complement to airway management. An overview of how to obtain a real-time airway ultrasound at the bedside is reviewed and the support for its use is checked against the evidence. Materials and Methods: The search was carried out in Pubmed and Medline, yielding 722 articles of interest with different levels of evidence. The literature search was limited to studies conducted in humans, published in English and Spanish between August 2011 and August 2021. 35 articles were included in this review. Discussion: The usefulness of ultrasound in the evaluation and management of the airway is analyzed: predictors of difficult airway; cervical airway access; confirmation of tracheal intubation; calculation of endotracheal tube (ETT) size and depth. Conclusions: Airway ultrasound could be a useful tool for anesthesiologists, emergency physicians and intensivists, which could help improve patient care and safety. However, more research is needed to validate its use.