Authors : Ali Karami, Ali Malak, Pooya Vatankhah and Zeinabsadat Fattahi Saravi
Abstract: Although difficult endotracheal intubation is associated with increased morbidity and mortality, no consensus exists on the risk factors associated with this complication. Therefore, the aim of our study was to determine the prevalence and risk factors of difficult intubation in a large group of obese patients who had undergonelaparascopicsleeve gastrectomy. We retrospectively evaluated the records of 402 obese patients with body mass index > 35 m2 who had undergone the procedure. The variables of age, sex, thyromental distance (cm), jaw motion, history of sleep apnea, previous history of difficult intubation, difficult intubation during the bariatric surgery and modified Mallampathi grade were analyzed in each patient. The Mallampati grade 3and 4 and history of previous difficult intubation were the only statistically significant variables associated with difficult intubation. Based on the results of our study, these risk factors should be highly considered in the perioperative evaluations of the obese patients.
Ali Karami, Ali Malak, Pooya Vatankhah and Zeinabsadat Fattahi Saravi, 2016. Predicting Factors of Difficult Intubation in Obese Patients Undergoing Bariatric Surgeries. Research Journal of Medical Sciences, 10: 565-567.