Anaes Vivas · Airway management
The obstetric airway — changes, risk and preparation
A clinical viva on the anatomical and physiological changes of the obstetric airway, the assessment and anticipation of difficulty, and the planned management of a high-risk parturient with a known difficult airway.
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Prompt
An obese parturient with a body mass index of forty-two is booked for an elective caesarean section. She had a difficult intubation at her previous operation. Take me through how pregnancy changes the airway, how that alters your assessment, and your plan for this patient.
Stimulus
An obese parturient with a body mass index of forty-two is booked for an elective caesarean section. She had a difficult intubation at her previous operation. Take me through how pregnancy changes the airway, how that alters your assessment, and your plan for this patient[1][2].
References5ShowHide
- [1]Craig R, et al. Best practice in obstetric general anaesthesia: an umbrella review of pharmacological strategies for induction of general anaesthesia. Anaesthesia, 2026.PMID 41987713
- [2]Ramkumar V, et al. All India Difficult Airway Association 2025 guidelines for the management of unanticipated difficult airway in obstetrics under general anaesthesia. Indian J Anaesth, 2025.PMID 41293137
- [3]Saracoglu A, et al. Airway events in pregnant patients with morbid obesity undergoing caesarean delivery under general anaesthesia: a retrospective cohort study (2015-2024). Int J Obstet Anesth, 2026.PMID 41240486
- [4]Valentić IB, Reiner K Anaesthesia for Caesarean Section in a Parturient with Klippel-Feil Syndrome: A Case Report. Turk J Anaesthesiol Reanim, 2026.PMID 42318747
- [5]Mushambi MC, Kinsella SM, Popat M, et al. Obstetric Anaesthetists' Association and Difficult Airway Society guidelines for the management of difficult and failed tracheal intubation in obstetrics. Anaesthesia, 2015.PMID 26449292