Summary

In study session III you have learnt

• The patient's airway history should be evaluated to determine whether there are any medical, surgical, or anesthetic factors that have implications for airway management
• Oropharyngeal space (Malampatti classification), the Inter-incisor gap, the thyromental distance, any air way congenital anomaly need to be assessed.
• Head elevation and neck flexion bring the pharyngeal and laryngeal axes into line. Extension of head at atlantooccipital joint aligns the oral axis with the other two axes (the laryngeal and pharyngeal axes).
• Features that complicate intubation include obesity, small jaw, protruding or missed teeth, cleft-palate, inability to open mouth, short and muscular neck, decreased neck mobility deviated trachea, epiglottitis or croup, retropharyngeal abscess and respiratory infection.