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.