Abstract

 

 

Objectives: We performed a survey questionnaire for the year 2004 on strategies for difficult airway (DA) management at anesthesia departments in Austria to assess their airway management (AM) behavior.

 

Mailing Procedure and Responses: The questionnaire forms were mailed to all 124 clinical directors of the anesthesia departments at public hospitals in Austria; the response rate was 66 percent.

 

Main Results: The consequences of DA information when general anesthesia was required were provision of adequate equipment, provision of adequate equipment and an additional experienced operator when available, and routine management in 24, 66, and 10 percent, respectively. Formulated strategies for DA management in general were provided in 52 percent. Strategies for the management of the anticipated DA, the unanticipated difficult/failed conventional tracheal intubation and adequate face-mask ventilation (MV) situation, the unanticipated difficult/failed conventional tracheal intubation and difficult/impossible MV situation, and the tracheal extubation of the DA were formulated in 46, 44, 40, and 22 percent, respectively.

 

Conclusions: We demonstrated that there is much room for improvements in AM behavior at anesthesia departments in Austria. Benchmarking with the results of this survey and refining departmental directives may contribute to improved patient care.

 

 

Introduction