Comparison of Airway Ultrasonography and Laryngoscopy Methods in Obese Patients

Summary

The main objective of this study was to examine the relationship between classical markers used in assessing difficult airway management in obese patients (Mallampati score, thyromental distance, sternomental distance, neck circumference measurement) and ultrasonographic parameters (vocal cord mobility, glottic opening, hyomental distance, skin-epiglottic distance, and peri-epiglottic space-epiglottic-vocal cord ratio), to compare the effects of these parameters on predicting difficult intubation, and to investigate the effects of different laryngoscopy methods on intubation success and peroperative respiratory complications.

The secondary objective of the study is to investigate the effects of different laryngoscopy methods on hemodynamic responses to intubation. Participants' gender, age, height, weight, BMI, ASA physical status classification, smoking status, comorbidities, STOP-BANG and LEMON scores will be recorded. The glottic score percentage (POGO score), glottic visualization time, endotracheal intubation time, use of assistive maneuvers, and Intubation Difficulty Scale (IDS) parameters will be compared according to the laryngoscopy methods used.

Participants must meet the following criteria:

* Consent given by the patient
* Operated under general anesthesia
* Over 18 years of age
* American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status classification I-II-III
* Body mass index (BMI) of 30 kg/m2 or higher
* Operation duration between 60-150 minutes
* Patients undergoing elective surgery.

Conditions

• Correlation of Difficult Airway Markers With Ultrasonographic Measurements in Obese Patients

Interventions

PROCEDURE

Airway ultrasonography

Preoperative airway ultrasonography will be performed in the waiting area before surgery to evaluate upper airway structures including vocal cord mobility, glottic opening, hyomental distance, skin-to-epiglottis distance, and peri-epiglottic space-epiglottis-vocal cord ratio. Measurements will be obtained with a Mindray Consona N7 ultrasound device while the patient is in the supine position. Each measurement will be performed three times and the average value will be recorded. Postoperative airway ultrasonography will be repeated at 30 minutes in the recovery unit.

DEVICE

Macintosh Laryngoscope Intubation

Endotracheal intubation will be performed using a conventional Macintosh direct laryngoscope under standardized general anesthesia induction.

DEVICE

Tuoren Videolaryngoscope Intubation

Endotracheal intubation will be performed using the Tuoren videolaryngoscope under standardized general anesthesia induction.

DEVICE

Besdata Videolaryngoscope Intubation

Endotracheal intubation will be performed using the Besdata videolaryngoscope under standardized general anesthesia induction.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Trabzon Kanuni Education and Research Hospital

  lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

DIAGNOSTIC

Masking

NONE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2026-01-01

Primary Completion

2026-07-01

Completion

2026-07-01

Countries

• Turkey (Türkiye)

Study Locations