IOSR Journal of Dental and Medical Sciences (IOSR-JDMS) e-ISSN: 2279-0853, p-ISSN: 2279-0861.Volume 20, Issue 4 Ser.5 (April. 2021), PP 41-47 www.iosrjournals.org DOI: 10.9790/0853-2004054147 www.iosrjournal.org 41 | Page “An assessment of anthropometric parameters to assess airway in Eastern Indian population: A prospective observational study” Dr. Meera Pillai, 1 Dr Amit Kumar Sahu, 2 Dr. D.P. Samaddar, 3 Dr. Abhishek Chatterjee 4 1,2 DNB Anaesthetist, 3 Chief Anaesthesiologist, 4 Specialist 1,2,3,4 Deptt of Anaesthesia and Critical Care, Tata Main Hospital, Jamshedpur, India Abstract: Background: Maintaining a patent airway is essential for adequate oxygenation and ventilation failure to do so, even for a brief period, can be life threatening. The anthropometric parameters are preferred over the observational parameters due to higher specificity, sensitivity and positive predictive value. This study was conducted to find out whether the western parameters can be applied to the Indian population which is ethnically different as well as to calculate the average values of different airway anthropometric parameters in the local population from Eastern India. Material and methods: In this prospective observational study, 1000 patients of aged 20 - 60 years with BMI <30 kg/m2 were evaluated by single investigator for following anthropometric parameters: i) Inter-incisor gap ii) Thyromental distance iii) Sternomental distance iv) Horizontal length of Mandible v) Ratio of Height to Thyromental Distance and vi) Body Mass Index. All these parameters were analyzed for correlation as well as compared with western data. Results; There was no significantly strong positive or negative co-relation between the anthropometric parameters. Present study on comparing with western data shows statistically significant difference, suggesting variation in ethinicity affecting anthropometry and demography. Conclusion: Population of Eastern India is anthropometrically different not only from the rest of India but also from other countries. Age and sex related changes were also observed and hence age and sex is also an important factor to predict difficult airway. Keywords: Inter-incisor gap (IIG), Thyromental distance (TMD), Sternomental distance (SMD), Horizontal length of Mandible (HLM), Ratio of Height to Thyromental Distance. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date of Submission: 29-03-2021 Date of Acceptance: 12-04-2021 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I. Introduction The term ‘airway’ refers to the upper airway which may be defined as the extra -pulmonary air passage, consisting of the nasal and oral cavities, pharynx, larynx, trachea and large bronchi. 1 Maintaining a patent airway is essential for adequate oxygenation and ventilation and failure to do so, even for a brief period, can be life threatening. The assessment of the patient's airway is therefore, an integral part of the preoperative workup. ‘Difficult airway’ is a situation in which there is a problem in establishing or maintaining gas exchange via a mask, an artificial airway or both. 2 Anticipation of difficult airway therefore is mandatory before planning anaesthesia. Airway can be assessed using both observational and anthropometric parameters. The anthropometric parameters are preferred over the observational parameters due to higher specificity (79 % - 91 %), higher sensitivity (77 % - 89 %), high reproducibility and a high positive predictive value (82 % - 94 %) in comparison to observational parameters. 3 Anthropometric parameters routinely observed are hyomental distance, sternomental distance, inter- incisor distance, thyromental distance, neck circumference, neck movements, ratio of height to thyromental distance, horizontal length of mandible. Observational parameters commonly include nostril patency, length of the upper incisors, alignment of incisors on clenching of teeth, upper lip bite test, ability to protrude or advance the lower (mandibular) incisors in front of the upper (maxillary) incisors, tongue size, Mallampati grading, presence of heavy facial hair, compliance of the mandibular space. Srinivas et al in his study found that the specificity of the observational parameters ranged between 60 to 90% and for anthropometric parameters was 75 -93%. 4 Since most studies for prediction of difficult airway have been done in caucasians , the cut off values set by them cannot be extrapolated to the Indian population. According to anthropometric studies, there are racial differences in body habitus and craniofacial features.