Ultrasound Measurement of Skin-to-Epiglottis Distance for Prediction of Difficult Airway in Adult Patients

May 20, 2026 updated by: Almıla Gulsun Pamuk, Hacettepe University
This prospective observational study aims to evaluate the predictive value of ultrasound-measured skin-to-epiglottis distance for difficult airway in adult patients undergoing elective or emergency procedures requiring airway management. The correlation between ultrasound measurements and standard airway assessment parameters will be analyzed.

Study Overview

Status

Not yet recruiting

Conditions

Detailed Description

Airway management is a critical component of anesthesia and intensive care practice. Predicting difficult airway remains challenging with conventional bedside tests. Ultrasound has emerged as a non-invasive, bedside tool for airway assessment. This study aims to investigate the relationship between skin-to-epiglottis distance measured by ultrasound and difficult laryngoscopy/intubation. Secondary comparisons will include traditional airway assessment methods such as Mallampati score, thyromental distance, and neck circumference

Study Type

Observational

Enrollment (Estimated)

300

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

  • Name: Almıla G Pamuk, Doç. Dr.
  • Phone Number: 03123051207 9005335296325
  • Email: gulsunp@yahoo.com

Study Contact Backup

  • Name: muhammed r hız, research assistant
  • Phone Number: 9003123051207 9005417800327
  • Email: drrasithiz@gmail.com

Study Locations

  • Turkey (Türkiye)
    • Altındağ
      • Ankara, Altındağ, Turkey (Türkiye), 06320
        • Hacettepe Univercity

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sampling Method

Probability Sample

Study Population

The study population consists of adult patients scheduled for elective surgery requiring tracheal intubation under general anesthesia. Patients will be recruited from the preoperative anesthesia clinic at [Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine]

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • ≥18 yaş elective surgery

Exclusion Criteria:

  • emergency surgery
  • head and neck surgery
  • pregnant patients

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Skin-to-epiglottis distance
Time Frame: Pre-intubation (within 30 minutes before procedure)
Distance measured via ultrasound in the anterior neck region
Pre-intubation (within 30 minutes before procedure)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Incidence of difficult laryngoscopy (Cormack-Lehane grade ≥ 3)
Time Frame: During intubation procedure (intraoperative period)
The proportion of patients with difficult laryngoscopy defined as Cormack-Lehane grade 3 or 4 during direct laryngoscopy.
During intubation procedure (intraoperative period)
Intubation Difficulty Score (IDS)
Time Frame: During intubation procedure
Assessment of intubation difficulty using the Intubation Difficulty Score based on number of attempts, operators, alternative techniques, glottic exposure, lifting force, external laryngeal pressure, and vocal cord position.
During intubation procedure
Correlation between ultrasound measurements and Mallampati score
Time Frame: Preoperative assessment
Correlation between tracheal diameter and skin-to-epiglottis distance measured by ultrasound and preoperative Mallampati classification.
Preoperative assessment

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Hacettepe University

Investigators

  • Study Director: Almıla g Pamuk, Doç Dr., Hacettepe Univercity

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Estimated)

June 1, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

November 1, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

December 4, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

May 20, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

May 20, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

May 27, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

May 27, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

May 20, 2026

Last Verified

May 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • SBA 26/158

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

YES

IPD Plan Description

Diffuculty airway

IPD Sharing Time Frame

10/2026 -- 01/2027

IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type

  • STUDY_PROTOCOL
  • SAP
  • ICF
  • ANALYTIC_CODE
  • CSR

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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