The "ideal" model for the identification of a difficult airway should be able to predict the result based on the least number of variables and with high sensitivity and specificity, so as to anticipate any requirements. This calls for new scales, indices, parameters and associations of variables. 1. Caplan RA, Benumof JL, Berry FA, Blitt D Casey, Bode H Robert, Cheney Frederick W, Connis Richard T, et al. Practice guidelines for management of the difficult airway. Anesthesiology 1993;78:597-02. 3. Cattano D, Panicucci E, Paolicchi A, Forfori F, Giunta F and C. Hagberg. Risk Factors Assessment of the Difficult Airway: An Italian Survey of 1956 Patients. Anesth Analg 2000; 99; 1774-79. 4. Rosenstock C, Guillesber I, Gatke MR, Levin D, Kristensen MS, Rasmussen LS. Inter-observer agreement of tests used for prediction of difficult laryngoscopy/tracheal Intubation. Acta Anaesthesiol Scand 2005; 49: 1057-62 5. Lee Anna, Lawrence TY. Fan, Tony Gin, Monoj K Karmakar, Warnick D. Ngan Kee. A Systematic Review Meta-Analysis of the Accuracy of the Mallampati Tests to Predict the Difficult Airway. Anesth Analg 2006; 102:1867-78. 6. Naguib M, Samarkandi AH, Moniem AM, Mansur Eel-D,Alshaer AA, Al-Ayyaf HA, Fadin A, Alharby SW. Predictive Performance of Three Multivariate Difficult Tracheal Intubation Models: A Double-Blind, Case-Controlled Study. Anesth Analg 2006; 102:818-24. 7. Shiga T, Wajima Zen´ichiro, Inoue Tetsuo, Sakamoto Atsu. Predicting Difficult Intubation in Apparently Normal Patients. A Meta-analysis of Bedside Screening Test Performance. Anesthesiology 2005; 103:429-37 8. Society of Anesthesiologists. Practice Guidelines for Management of the Difficult Airway.An Updated Report by American Society of Anesthesiologists Task Force on Management of the Difficult Airway. Anesthesiology 2003; 98:1269-77 9. Pearce A. Evaluation of the airway and preparation for difficulty. Best practice & Research Clinical Anaesthesiology 2005 19, No. 4, 559-79. 10. Arne J., Descoins P, Fusciardi J, Ingrand P., Ferrier B.,Boudigues D, Aries J. Preoperative assessment for difficult Intubation in general and ENT surgery: predictive value of a clinical multivariate risk index. Br J Anaesthesia 1998, 80: 140-46 12. Bland JM, Altman DG. Statistical methods for assessing agreement between two methods of clinical measurement. Lancet 1986; 1: 307-10. 15. Delgado M. "Predicción clínica de intubación orotraqueal difícil. Predicción clínica de intubación orotraqueal, diseño difícil de una escala y evaluación de su reproducibilidad. Rev. Col. Anest 2000 XXVIII 1 69-75. 17. Pearce A. Evaluation of the airway and preparation for difficulty. Best practice & Research Clinical Anaesthesiology 2005 19, 4; 559-79. 19. Hildittch W.G. Interobserver Reliability between a nurse and anaesthetist of test used for predicting difficult tracheal intubaction. Anaesthesia 2004 59: 881- 84 20. Merah n. Modified Mallampati Test, Thyromental Distance And Inter-Incisor Gap Are The Best Predictors Of Difficult Laryngoscopy In West Africans. Can J Anesth 2005. 52;3 291-96 21. Rosenblatt W. Decision Making in Airway Evaluation. The American Society of Anesthesiologists. ASA Refresher Courses in Anesthesiology: 2004 : 32 1:179-86 22. Mace S.E. Challenges And Advances In Intubation: Airway Evaluation And Controversies With Intubation. Emerg Med Clin N Am. 2008. 26; 977-000. 23. Conelly N.R Management Of Unexpected Difficult Airway At A Teaching Institution Over 7 Year Period. Journal Of Clinical Anesthesia 2006 18: 198-04.
El modelo "ideal" de vía aérea difícil sería aquel que prediga el resultado con el menor número de variables, con alta sensibilidad y especificidad, para así anticiparnos con todos los elementos que ella requiere, para lo cual se necesitan de nuevas escalas, índices, parámetros y asociación de variables.