Assessment Of Difficult Airway Predictors: A Prospective Comparison Of Upper Airway Ultrasound And Conventional Anthropometric Measures

This prospective observational study aims to evaluate whether upper airway ultrasound measurements can improve the prediction of difficult airway compared with conventional anthropometric assessments. Adult patients undergoing elective procedures requiring airway management will be included. Ultrasound parameters such as tongue thickness, anterior neck soft tissue thickness, and hyomental distance will be measured before airway intervention. Standard clinical predictors (Mallampati score, thyromental distance, neck circumference, etc.) will also be recorded. The primary objective is to determine the diagnostic accuracy of ultrasound-based measurements in predicting difficult laryngoscopy and intubation. The study seeks to provide evidence supporting the integration of upper airway ultrasound into routine pre-anesthetic airway evaluation.

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Key information

Conditions

Prediction of Difficult Airway Difficult Airway Intubation

Age range

18 year–99 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Observational

Primary location

Sağlık Bilimleri Üniversitesi

Ankara, Turkey (Türkiye)

Location status: Recruiting

Location contact

sami eksert, MD, Assoc. Prof.

CONTACT

[email protected]

+90 532 562 0597

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

Adults aged 18-99 years
Patients scheduled for elective surgery under general anesthesia
ASA Physical Status I-III
Able to provide informed consent
Undergoing preoperative airway evaluation

Exclusion criteria

- Emergency surgery cases
Age <18 years
ASA Physical Status IV-V
Pregnant or breastfeeding patients
Patients with limited cooperation or inability to provide consent
Known anatomical airway anomalies or previous major neck surgery

Treatment and study plan

Primary outcomes

Diagnostic accuracy of ultrasound airway measurements for predicting difficult mask ventilation

Time frame: Preoperative assessment (within 1 hour before induction of anesthesia)

Evaluation of the sensitivity, specificity, and area under the ROC curve (AUC) of ultrasound-based airway measurements-tongue thickness, hyoid-to-skin distance, and epiglottis-to-skin distance-in predicting difficult mask ventilation. These ultrasound parameters will be compared with conventional anthropometric airway assessment tests to determine their predictive performance.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Saglik Bilimleri Universitesi Gulhane Tip Fakultesi

Other

Registry information

Important dates

Study start: 2025
Primary completion: 2026
Study completion: 2027
First posted: Dec 30, 2025
Registry last updated: Mar 10, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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