Ultrasound predictive parameters of difficult airway in thyroid surgery: a pilot study

Difficult airway is a major life-threatening complication during induction of general anesthesia. In thyroid surgery, intubation could be complicated by airway distortion because of the enlarged thyroid gland. Recently, ultrasonography has been proposed as a potential modality for airway assessment and management. The aim of the study is to evaluate ultrasound-based measurement of airway parameters in 13 selected patients with compressive goiter and tracheal deviation scheduled for thyroidectomy before induction of general anesthesia. Specifically, we detected the distance between the skin and retro-isthmic trachea (DSRIT) and the distance between the sub isthmic trachea and the carotid artery (DCSIT) at the side of the dominant lobe. We compared ultrasound measures before intubation with Cormack-Lehane laryngoscopes grades recorded during tracheal intubation.