The Assessment of Risk Factors for Difficult Intubation in Thyroid Patients

Abstract

Objectives

We aimed to assess possible risk factors related to difficult intubation in patients undergoing thyroid surgery.

Methods

We prospectively collected data of 200 patients scheduled for thyroid surgery. Clinical risk factors were defined as: Mallampati score, interincisor gap, thyromental distance, sternomental distance, range of neck motion, body mass index, neck circumference, goiter, the presence of radiological findings suggesting compression and thyroid weight. All evaluations were performed with Macintosh assessed for Cormack and Lehane (CL) classification and modified intubation difficulty scale (MIDS).

Results

It was observed that the proportion of patients with a thyroid weight ≥40 g, goiter, a Macintosh CL score = 3–4 and the mean neck circumference were significantly higher in the group with a MIDS score >5 (p = 0.018, p = 0.011, p < 0.001, respectively).

Conclusion

The presence of a palpable goiter, thyroid weight ≥40 g and thyromental distance <6.5 cm were risk factors associated with difficult intubation in the multivariate regression model.

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