Difficult Airway Anthropometric Measurements in Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea According to Sleep Endoscopy Scores

Aim: The aim of the study was to determine the measures to evaluate difficult intubation and predictors of intubation difficulties in the preoperative period in patients undergoing obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) surgery. With these measurements, both the modified Cormack Lehane score and obstructions during sleep endoscopy were evaluated. Material Methods: The study included 40 patients who presented at the outpatient clinic with the complaint of snoring, underwent polysomnography, and were diagnosed with OSAS between August 2018 and December 2019. Measurements were taken of the modified Mallampati Index, mouth opening, thyromental distance, and sternomental distance. The modified Cormack Lehane scoring system was applied after anesthesia induction. Results: A statistically significant correlation was observed between thyromental distance and the Modified Cormack Lehane Scoring-system (MCLS) (p = 0.017) and between intubation time and MCLS (p = 0.012). As MCLS increased, the average intubation time increased. A statistically significant correlation was observed between external compression and MCLS (p = 0.001) and between the number of intubation trials and MCLS (p = 0.035). A positive correlation was found between MCLS and the desaturation index (p = 0.035, r = 0.343) and between the MCLS and the hypopnea index (p = 0.031, r = 0.342) Conclusion: There was found to be interdependence with the measurements related to difficult intubation according to both the sleep position and the apnea hypopnea index and hypopnea index