MALLAMPATI SCORE

Course overview

PREDICTING AND PREPARING FOR A DIFFICULT AIRWAY CAN HELP AVOID ADVERSE AND POTENTIALLY FATAL OUTCOMES. TO SECURE THE AIRWAY, BOTH ANATOMIC KNOWLEDGE AND PROPER PREPARATION ARE REQUIRED. SEVERAL ASSESSMENT TOOLS HAVE BEEN PROPOSED TO PREDICT DIFFICULTY IN MASK VENTILATION AND ENDOTRACHEAL INTUBATION. THE MALLAMPATI SCORE IS ONE SUCH TOOL INTRODUCED IN THE 1980S AS A WAY TO PREDICT THE DIFFICULT AIRWAY. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE HISTORY OF MALLAMPATI SCORING AND HIGHLIGHTS ITS USEFULNESS IN PREPARING FOR ENDOTRACHEAL INTUBATION AND MASK VENTILATION. IT ALSO DISCUSSES HOW THE MALLAMPATI SCORE CAN CHANGE DURING PREGNANCY AND ITS UTILITY BY THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM TO PREDICT OBSTRUCTIVE SLEEP APNEA.