ABSTRACT
Introduction: Airway management is an integral part of general anaesthesia, which may lead to severe short- and long-term complications. Aim: We assessed whether the application of a checklist for the steps of airway management reduces the number of complications in our institute. Method: In our observational, prospective, controlled study we made a checklist and a data collection sheet. Each airway management was performed for one month without the checklist and then for one month in the possession of the checklist. We evaluated the outcome of airway maneuvers and the occurrence of related early complications before and after the introduction of the checklist. The primary endpoint was the incidence of unexpected difficult airway. The secondary endpoints were difficult intubation, successful first intubation, aspiration, cardiac arrest, post-induction hypotension and desaturation, soft tissues/teeth injuries. Our results were also corrected for factors that affect the risk of complications (urgency of interventions, medical experience). Results: We did not find any difference in the frequency of acute complications before the introduction of the checklist (n = 439) and during the subsequent period (n = 423). At the primary endpoint (7.29% and 6.14%), there was no substantive difference (1.15%, 95% CI: -2.26%-4.56%, p = 0.5). No differences were found regarding the secondary and other endpoints. Following the correction of risk factors, there was no impact of the checklist on the incidence of complications. Conclusion: The introduction of the checklist in itself did not result in a significant change in the risk of short-term complications of airway management in our institution. Orv Hetil. 2019; 160(26): 1025-1035.
