Pregnancy is associated with a decrease in pharyngeal but not tracheal or laryngeal cross-sectional area: a pilot study using the acoustic reflection method

International Journal of Obstetric Anesthesia
N LeboulangerB Fauroux

Abstract

The risk of difficult upper airway access is increased during pregnancy, especially in labor. Changes in upper airway calibre have been poorly studied during pregnancy. The acoustic reflection method is a non-invasive technique that allows a longitudinal assessment of the cross-sectional area of the upper airway from the mouth to carina. We used this technique to evaluate upper airway calibre during normal pregnancy. We conducted a prospective, single centre, observational study with a clinical and upper airway acoustic reflection method evaluation of healthy women during the first, second and third trimesters of pregnancy, and up to two days and one month after delivery. Fifty women participated to the study. The mean pharyngeal cross-sectional area decreased between the first and third trimesters (P < 0.001) with no significant change of the minimal and mean tracheal cross-sectional areas. The Mallampati score increased during pregnancy between the first and third trimesters (P< 0.001). Using measurements with the acoustic reflection method, normal pregnancy is associated with a significant reduction in the cross-sectional area of the pharynx and a concomitant increase in the Mallampati score. No change was observed in the mi...Continue Reading

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Citations

Jul 7, 2016·Anaesthesia Critical Care & Pain Medicine·Marie-Pierre Bonnet
Jun 5, 2019·Annals of the American Thoracic Society·Bilgay Izci-BalserakGrace W Pien
Feb 10, 2016·Current Opinion in Anaesthesiology·Michael Heesen, Markus Klimek
May 26, 2018·Archives of Women's Mental Health·Heather Burrell WardMarcela Almeida
Aug 11, 2020·Indian Journal of Anaesthesia·Anjolie ChhabraRajeshwari Subramaniam
Apr 9, 2018·Anaesthesia Critical Care & Pain Medicine·Olivier BelinMarc Laffon

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