Risk Factors for Perioperative Airway Difficulty and Evaluation of Intubation Approaches Among Patients With Benign Goiter

Objective:The objective was to determine patient and gland characteristics associated with difficult intubation in patients undergoing thyroidectomy for goiter and to assess different methods of intubation in these patients.Methods:This study was an IRB-approved, retrospective chart review of 112 consecutive patients undergoing hemithyroidectomy or total thyroidectomy for thyroid goiter from 2009-2012 at an academic tertiary care facility in Bronx, New York. Patient demographics, thyroid gland characteristics (gland weight and nodule size), presence of preoperative symptoms (dyspnea, dysphagia, and hoarseness), and radiographical findings (tracheal compression, tracheal deviation, and substernal extension of the thyroid gland) were recorded. Anesthesia records were reviewed for method of intubation, as well as success or failure of intubation attempts.Results:Nineteen patients (17.0%) were men and 93 (83.0%) were women. The age of the patients included in the study ranged from 14 to 86 years with a mean ±...