Airway Management Practice Patterns in Paediatric Anaesthesia: A Survey
Airway Management Practice Patterns in Paediatric Anaesthesia: A Survey
Respiratory adverse events continue to be the leading reason for perioperative critical
 events in children. It is crucial for the anaesthesiologist to anticipate, recognize and
 treat these respiratory adverse events. Respiratory adverse events are one of the major
 causes of morbidity and mortality during paediatric anaesthesia. To avoid trouble, one must
 be prepared for trouble: if a difficult airway is very likely, anaesthesia should be
 administered by experienced anaesthesiologists and should only be performed in a protected
 well-equipped area where the personnel adequately trained.

 This survey focuses on assessment and management of paediatric airway and highlights the
 unique challenges encountered in children.
Airway management is one of the key areas of paediatric anaesthesia practice. The paediatric
 patients have significant anatomical and physiological differences compared with adults,
 which impact on the techniques and tools that the anaesthesiologist might choose to provide
 safe and effective control of the airway. Furthermore, there are a number of pathological
 processes, typically seen in the paediatric population, which present unique anatomical or
 functional difficulties in airway management. The presence of one of these syndromes or
 conditions can predict a "difficult airway".

 Respiratory adverse events continue to be the leading reason for perioperative critical
 events in children. New developments in airway management in paediatric patients can only
 improve perioperative outcome if anaesthesiologists who are fully acquainted with these
 fundamental aspects of paediatric anaesthesia care for these children.

 This survey was taken out within members of the Community of European Anaesthesiologists, to
 describe and explore current patterns of their airway management in paediatric anaesthesia.

 The purpose of the study was to see whether there are more uniform practice patterns among
 anaesthesiologist with paediatric experience than those without paediatric experience.

 Secondarily, the survey also explored anaesthetists'' knowledge about the risks of
 respiratory adverse events and, and about national organizations' recommendations.

 Therefore, this survey highlighted some of the important anatomical and physiological
 differences and their implication in daily anaesthesiological practice.
Inclusion Criteria:

 -  Anaesthesiologists currently working in the operating rooms.

 Exclusion Criteria:

 -  unwilling to join the study