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Anaesthesiological airway management in Denmark: Assessment, equipment and documentation
Author(s) -
Mellado P. F.,
Thunedborg L. P.,
Swiatek F.,
Kristensen M. S.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
acta anaesthesiologica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.738
H-Index - 107
eISSN - 1399-6576
pISSN - 0001-5172
DOI - 10.1111/j.0001-5172.2004.0337.x
Subject(s) - medicine , intubation , airway , documentation , airway management , tracheal intubation , chart , medical emergency , anesthesia , statistics , mathematics , computer science , programming language
Background: Failed intubation remains one cause of anaesthesia‐related morbidity and mortality. In a recent survey in Denmark, 20% of respondents reported preventable mishaps in airway management. Methods: Assessment of the airway, and its documentation, as well as the availability of various equipment to manage a difficult airway, and the existence of a failed intubation plan were surveyed by mailing a questionnaire to the clinical directors of all 69 anaesthesia departments in Denmark. Results: Fifty‐six departments (81%) returned the questionnaire. Pre‐operative airway evaluation is performed in 90% of the departments. The tests included the mouth‐opening test (77%), Mallampati score (48%), lower jaw protrusion (34%), neck mobility (63%), the measurement of the thyromental (11%) and sternomental distance (4%). The result of the tests are documented by 38% of the departments in the anaesthetic chart (96%), in the record (54%), on a card given to the patient (23%), in a letter sent to the patient's general practitioner (2%) or in a database (13%). The patients are personally informed in 82% of the departments. Only 54% of the departments have a failed intubation plan readily available. Conclusion: The preoperative assessment of the airways and its documentation is still unsatisfactory, as is communicating with the patient after a case of a difficult/impossible intubation. The adoption of internationally recognized recommendations might improve airway management and teaching to the best standard possible in the already well‐equipped Danish anaesthetic departments.