Introduction
- Probably
the most important job of an anaesthetist is to maintain a safe airway of
an anaesthetised patient
- Difficulty
in airway management is the single most important cause of anaesthesia
related morbidity and mortality
- If a
difficult airway is detected and appropriate measures are taken to face it
before anaesthetising a patient, morbidity and mortality associated with
airway related problems can be minimised
- Hence the importance of assessing the airway during the pre-operative visit
What is a Difficult Airway?
- An airway which is difficult to be maintained or intubated or unable to be intubated in an anaesthetised or unconscious patient
