Difficult airway prediction in paediatric anaesthesia (Diffair): Prospective observational study

Abstract

Background. The incidence of difficult airway in paediatric patients is lower than that the adult population, and the majority should be predictable. Aims. The primary aim of this trial was to evaluate the incidence of difficult airway in pediatric patients. The secondary aim was to predict difficult airway in these patients. Methods. Paediatric patients undergoing elective surgery under general anaesthesia in a tertiary university hospital were examined, and a panel of difficult airway prediction tests was performed. We recorded the incidence, risk factors for difficult airway and events associated with difficult airway together with the sensitivity and specificity of tests for difficult airway and events associated with difficult airway prediction. Results. We prospectively included 389 paediatric patients. The incidence of difficult airway was 3.6%; the incidence of events associated with difficult airway was 10%. The sensitivity for prediction of events associated with difficult airway during the pre-anaesthesia evaluation was 5.3% with the specificity 93.3%. In the operating room, the sensitivity of prediction was 15% with 97.8% specificity. Conclusion. We found minimal efficacy for preanaesthesia difficult airway prediction.