Anesteziyoloji ve Reanimasyon Anabilim Dalı Araştırma Görevlilerinin Erişkin Hastalarda Zor Hava Yolunu Değerlendirebilme, Zor Hava Yolu Gereçlerini Tanıma ve Kullanabilme Düzeylerinin Değerlendirilmesi

Abstract

The maintenance of a stable airway and respiratory cycle is one of the most important responsibilities of the anesthesiologist. The topic of ‘Difficult airway management’ represents a major part of training in Anesthesiology. Despite this, there is major concern towards whether education on this topic is satisfactory, whether residents in anesthesiology training are offered enough opportunities to use the devices aimed for the management of difficult airways and whether residents feel confident in their abilities in these topics and managing difficult airways. The aim of this study is to determine the level of competence of residents in anesthesiology training in the assessment of difficult airways and recoginition and use of difficult airway devices, and whether residents feel confident in managing difficult airways and using difficult airway devices. A survey composed of six sections was created for this purpose. After approval of the Hacettepe University Ethics Committee (GO-13/142), twenty-nine (29) residents in the Anesthesiology training program at Hacettepe University were included in the study. Residents answered 93-100%of the questions aimed at evaluating theoretical knowledge. The most common methods used for evaluating airways were Mallampati score at 100%, oral aperture at 93%and the state and position of the teeth at 72%. Experience with fiberotic intubation ranged from 33-100%whereas percutaneous tracheotomy and Trans-tracheal jet ventialation (TTJV) experience remained at only 0-6%. 79%of residents found themselves to be incompetent at applying the difficult airway algorithm and 58%believed that instruction on this topic should be repeated at least twice a year. The results of the study revealed that residents were competent in assessing difficult airways and recognizing difficult airway devices. Experience with fiberoptic intubation was found to be quite good, whereas experience with percutaneous v tracheotomy and TTJV was found to be insufficient. Residents expressed that they were not confident in their abilities to manage difficult airways, apply the algorithm for the management of difficult airways and use difficult airway devices. It was also concluded that residents believed that training in this area should be extended.