Clinical Research Directory

Can the "Face Index"; an Anthropometric Measurement, Predict Difficult Laryngoscopy and Intubation?

Patient safety is the cornerstone of anesthetic practice, and maintaining adequate respiration represents its most critical initial step. In situations where spontaneous breathing cannot be sustained-such as during general anesthesia-the airway must be mechanically secured. While simple face masks may be sufficient in some cases, endotracheal intubation remains the most reliable method for airway control in conditions associated with respiratory depression. Airway management may be challenging due to various patient-related anatomical factors, including facial and mandibular structure, obesity, limited mouth opening, facial hair, sunken cheeks, wide facial morphology, and a short or muscular neck. These challenges are collectively described as difficult ventilation and difficult intubation (cannot ventilate-cannot intubate), which may occur unexpectedly or be anticipated. A difficult airway is defined as difficulty encountered by a trained anesthesiologist in face mask ventilation, tracheal intubation, or both. Several predictors of difficult airway are widely accepted, such as thyromental and sternomental distances, neck circumference, Mallampati classification, upper lip bite test, mouth opening, and interincisor distance. Thorough preoperative airway evaluation is mandatory, as difficult mask ventilation and failed intubation remain major contributors to anesthesia-related morbidity and mortality. Although numerous studies have examined these predictors, research focusing on facial morphology and anthropometric indices-particularly the face index-is extremely limited. Facial morphology varies considerably among individuals and can be evaluated anthropometrically using simple, noninvasive tools such as a digital caliper. Anthropometric analysis is commonly applied in forensic medicine and reconstructive surgery but has rarely been incorporated into airway assessment. This study aims to introduce face index analysis as a novel predictor of difficult airway alongside conventional methods. By evaluating measurements such as trichion-gnathion distance, total facial index, upper facial index, and nasal index, the study investigates whether airway difficulty can be predicted using a single index value. All measurements are standard, noninvasive, and routinely performed during preoperative assessment.

CPAP in Patients With Severe Obesity After Anesthesia

The goal of this study is to compare two continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) settings on heart and lung function in patients with severe obesity after anesthesia. The main questions it aims to answer are: 1. Does a recruitment maneuver and CPAP set to intrathoracic pressure (ITP) improve cardiopulmonary function compared to standard CPAP settings in patients with severe obesity after anesthesia? 2. Does the location of adipose tissue influence the response to CPAP settings in patients with severe obesity after anesthesia? Participants will undergo monitoring of their intrathoracic pressure using an esophageal catheter. In the recovery area after anesthesia, participants will receive two CPAP settings, each for 20 minutes. * Intervention 1: Recruitment maneuver and CPAP will set to the level of intrathoracic pressure * Intervention 2: CPAP set to home settings (if OSA is present) or between 8-10 cmH20 (if OSA is not present).

Trajectories of Recovery After Intravenous Propofol Versus Inhaled VolatilE Anesthesia Trial

The investigators will conduct a 13,000-patient randomized multi-center trial to determine (i) which general anesthesia technique yields superior patient recovery experiences in any of three surgical categories ((a) major inpatient surgery, (b) minor inpatient surgery, (c) outpatient surgery) and (ii) whether TIVA confers no more than a small (0.2 %) increased risk of intraoperative awareness than INVA in patients undergoing both outpatient and inpatient surgeries

Optimizing Patient-centred Outcomes Using Opioid Minimization Strategies: The OPUS Anesthesia Pilot Trial

Up to 40% of patients experience suboptimal recovery in the days following major surgery, limiting their return to functional independence. Few preventive interventions exist, but intravenous dexmedetomidine and lidocaine administered during general anesthesia represent simple strategies that may significantly impact recovery and other patient-centred outcomes after surgery. The goal of this pilot trial is to determine the feasibility of conducting a phase 3 pragmatic adaptive multicentre trial to evaluate the impact of dexmedetomidine and lidocaine administered during major non-cardiac surgery on patient-centred outcomes.

Registry of Anesthesia and Perioperative Medicine

To assess mortality and morbidity associated to anesthesia interventions