Description
It is known that 85% of all respiratory closed malpractice claims involve a brain damaged or dead patient. It has been estimated that an inability to successfully manage very difficult airways has been responsible for as many as 30% of deaths totally attributable to anaesthesia. Anaesthesia is however safe. The incidence of seriously difficult or failed intubation (which represent the most difficult airways) is very low. Recent audit suggests that difficult intubation occurs in approximately 1 in 2,300 of the non-obstetric population and 1 in 300 of the obstetric population.
