METHOD FOR PREDICTING DIFFICULT INTUBATION OF TRACHEA PRIOR TO THYROID SURGERY

摘要

A method for predicting the difficult intubation of the trachea prior to the thyroid surgery has been proposed. Preoperatively, the deviation of the thyroid cartilage from the midline body axis is measured. When necessary, the deviation value is made more specific by computer-assisted tomography. The value above 0.7-1 cm is predictive of the difficult intubation of the trachea.