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Anesth Analg 2002;95:645-649
© 2002 International Anesthesia Research Society

TECHNOLOGY, COMPUTING, AND SIMULATION

Clinical Application of Acoustic Reflectometry in Predicting the Difficult Airway

E. Andrew Ochroch, MD*, and David M. Eckmann, PhD MD*{dagger}

*Department of Anesthesiology, University of Pennsylvania Health System; and {dagger}Institute of Medicine and Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA

Address correspondence to E. Andrew Ochroch MD, 416C Ravdin Ct., 3400 Spruce St., Philadelphia, PA 19104. Address e-mail to Ochrocha{at}uphs.upenn.edu

Acoustic reflectometry, a noninvasive test that produces a length versus cross-sectional area map of the airway, has been used to identify difficult-to-tracheally intubate patients in a small retrospective case-control study. A critical airway volume of 40.2 mL separated those patients whose tracheas were impossible to intubate from those who were easily intubated. To determine if this technology was applicable for prospectively predicting difficult intubation and difficult ventilation in routine clinical practice, we performed a double-blinded, prospective cohort study. Our a priori hypothesis was that small airway volumes in adults (<40.2 mL) would predict absolute inability to intubate. We conclude that by use of acoustic reflectometry, there was no relationship between inability to intubate, poor glottic visualization, and multiple laryngoscopies with airway volume.

IMPLICATIONS: Acoustic reflectometry, a noninvasive test that uses sound to produce a length versus cross-sectional area map of the airway, was not able to predict inability to intubate, poor glottic visualization, and multiple laryngoscopies.






Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins Anesthesia & Analgesia® is published for the International Anesthesia Research Society® by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins with the assistance of Stanford University Libraries' HighWire Press®. Copyright 2006 by the International Anesthesia Research Society. Online ISSN: 1526-7598   Print ISSN: 0003-2999 HighWire Press
Copyright © 2002 by the International Anesthesia Research Society.