TITLE:
Comparison of Mallampatti Test, Thyromental Distance and Distance from Tragus to Nares for Predicting Difficult Intubation in Pediatric Patients
AUTHORS:
Nosheela Basit Rafique, Fauzia Anis Khan
KEYWORDS:
Mallampatti Classification, Thyromental Distance, Cormack and Leehan Classification, Tragus to Nares Distance
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Anesthesiology,
Vol.4 No.4,
April
18,
2014
ABSTRACT: Clinical criteria for prediction of difficult airway
in adults may not be applicable in children and available literature on the
topic is limited. The objective of this prospective observational study was to
assess the usefulness of Mallampati classification, thyromental distance (Tm)
and distance from tragus to nares (Tn) in two groups of pediatric patients,
those who are less than five and above five years of age, and to correlate
these assessments with different grades of Cormack and Lehane (C&L) classification. One hundred and ninety six pediatric patients from one month to eight years of age, ASA grade I and II and planned
for elective surgery under general anesthesia with tracheal intubation were recruited. Age, gender, weight (kg), BMI,
distance between tragus and nares (cm), Mallampati grades and thyromental distance (cm) were noted preoperatively. Relationship of these
variables with C&L grading at the time of laryngoscopy was recorded.
C&L grades 2 & 3 was observed in 28 patients in younger age group (n = 120) as compared to two children
above 5 years (n = 76) (p p p = 0.025) in younger age group. In conclusion, this study showed
that distance between tragus to nares, Mallampati classification (if
applicable) and thyromental distance can be useful for assessment of difficult
airway in children less than five years of age.