• Tiberiu Ezri, Peter Szmuk, R David Warters, Jeffrey Katz, and Carin A Hagberg.
• Department of Anesthesiology, The University of Texas-Houston Medical School, 6431 Fannin, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
• J Clin Anesth. 2003 Sep 1; 15 (6): 418-22.

Study ObjectiveTo determine the extent instruction and practice in the use of airway devices and techniques varies among anesthesiologists practicing in the United States.DesignSurvey questionnaire.SettingUniversity medical center.MeasurementsQuestionnaires were completed by American-trained anesthesiologists who attended the 1999 American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) Annual Meeting. Data collected included demographics, education, skills with airway devices/techniques, management of clinical difficult airway scenarios, and the use of the ASA Difficult Airway Algorithm.Main Results1) DEMOGRAPHICS: 452 questionnaires were correctly completed; 62% attending anesthesiologists, 70% <50 years, 81% males, 44% from academic institutions, 63% >10 years of practice, 81% night duty, 77% board certified. 2) Education: 71% had at least one educational modality: difficult airway rotation, workshops, conferences, books, and simulators. 3) Skills: Miller blade 61%, Bullard laryngoscope 32%, LMA 86%, Combitube 43%, bougie 43%, exchangers 47%, cuffed oropharyngeal airway (COPA) 34%, retrograde 41%, transtracheal needle jet ventilation 34%, cricothyrotomy 21%, fiberoptics 59%, and blind nasal intubation 78%. The average reported use of special airway devices/techniques was 47.5%. 4) Management choices: failed intubation/ventilation: LMA (81%) and for all other situations: fiberoptic intubation. Use of ASA Difficult Airway Algorithm in clinical practice (86%).ConclusionFiberoptic intubation and the LMA are most popular in management of the difficult airway.

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