The prevalence of difficult airway and associated factors in pediatric patients undergoing surgery under general anesthesia at Addis Ababa referral hospitals, Addis Ababa ,Ethiopia, 2019/20.
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Date
2020-03
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Addis Abeba University
Abstract
Introduction: one of the major task of anesthetist is securing the airway for surgical proce-
dures or emergency situations. ‘Airway’ in this context is referring to the upper airway which
is the part of air passage outside the lung, from nose up to large bronchi. Airway management
is an essential skill because it will protect patients from complications of difficult airway like
cardiac arrest, brain injury or death. The airway of unconscious or anesthetized patient should
be secured with an artificial airway for oxygenation or ventilation because the patient cannot
breath by him or herself (1). There is a considerable difference between adult and pediatric
airway. Pediatrics are not small adults which means they are different from adult both anatomically
and
physiologically.
Especially
these
differences
are
more
pronounced
when
the
child
is
2
years
and
under.
Additionally
congenital
anomalies
existing
on
pediatric
patients
will
further
add
difficulty
when
securing
their
airway
(2).
Objective: to determine the prevalence of difficult airway and associated factors in pediatric
patients who underwent surgical procedures at Addis Ababa Referral Hospitals, from December
30/2019-
March
30/2020.
Study design: hospital based prospective cross sectional study design was used.
Results: a total of 290 patients were included in this study and the prevalence of difficult air-
way was 19.7%, difficult laryngoscope was 7.2%, difficult intubation was 11% and difficult
mask ventilation was 5.5%. Small age, underweight, anticipated difficult airway, history of
difficult airway and being unexperienced anesthetist were associated with difficult airway.
Recommendations: we recommend that difficult airway in pediatrics age ranging from newborn
to
5
years
is significant
in
Addis Ababa
Referral
Hospitals.
Small
age,
underweight,
history
of difficult
airway,
less experienced
anesthetist
and
anticipated
difficulty
are
associated
with
difficult
airway.
So
anesthetists
should
always
be
prepared
for
difficulty
when
securing
the
airway
of
these
patients.
And it
is
better
to have
experienced
anesthetist
present
when
intubating
these
patients.
Description
Keywords
Difficult airway , pediatric patients , surgery , anesthesia