Kheterpal et al developed a score for predicting impossible mask ventilation in a patient undergoing anesthesia. This can help to identify a patient who may require more aggressive management. The authors are from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor.
Impossible mask ventilation is Grade 4 on the Mask Ventilation Scale of Han et al (above). It is often associated with difficult intubation.
Parameters:
(1) radiation changes over the neck
(2) gender
(3) beard
(4) sleep apnea
(5) Mallampati class (modified with 4 classes)
Parameter |
Finding |
Points |
---|---|---|
radiation changes over neck |
absent |
0 |
|
present |
6 |
gender |
female |
0 |
|
male |
4 |
beard |
absent |
0 |
|
present |
2 |
sleep apnea |
absent |
0 |
|
present |
3 |
Mallampati class |
I or II |
0 |
|
III or IV |
2 |
where:
• A beard usually indicates that the patient is male unless the patient is a bearded lady.
• Radiation change to the neck is equivalent to 2 of the other risk factors in the score.
total risk score =
= SUM(points for all 5 parameters)
Interpretation:
• minimum score: 0
• maximum score: 17
• The higher the score the greater the risk of impossible mask ventilation.
• The presence of 4 or 5 of the risk factors was a high odds ratio for impossible mask ventilation.
Performance:
• The area under the ROC curve is 0.80.
Purpose: To identify a patient who may be impossible to ventilate by mask using the model of Kheterpal et al.
Specialty: Anesthesiology
Objective: risk factors, selection
ICD-10: Z48, T88,