[Comparison of Cormack/Lehane classification grades decided by novice residents and those by board certified anesthesiologists].
BACKGROUND
Tracheal intubation training is one of the most important ones in anesthesia training. But it is difficult to evaluate from the outside whether the laryngeal view obtained with the laryngoscope is appropriate or not.


METHODS
We chose a total of 389 cases of tracheal intubation performed by 12 novice residents in 2 months, and compared the grades of Cormack/Lehane classification of the same patients decided by novice residents and board certified anesthesiologists.


RESULTS
During the 2-month period, the average number of tracheal intubation performed by a novice resident was 32 +/- 12 cases (mean +/- SD). A significant difference was found between Cormack/Lehane classification (P<0.05) decided by novice residents and those by board certified anesthesiologists. When the number of intubation performed by a novice resident was fewer than 30, the grade was grade II > III > I > IV. On the contrary, when it was more than 30, the ratio of grades I and II (appropriate laryngeal view) increased and the distribution changed to grade II > I >III > IV.


CONCLUSIONS
We considered it useful in the tracheal intubation training that certified anesthesiologists evaluate patients' Cormack/Lehane classification grades before novice residents do, because we can obtain necessary information on laryngeal view and intubation difficulty in advance.
Shibuya
Hiromi
H
Department of Anesthesiology, Osaka National Hospital, Osaka 540-0006.
Amano
Eizo
E
Konishi
Aya
A
Nogawa
Rika
R
Hitomi
Kazuaki
K
Hirata
Takahiko
T
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000776:Anesthesiology / Q000193:education*; D002568:Certification; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal / Q000379:methods*; D007828:Laryngoscopy / Q000145:classification*; D007830:Larynx / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015588:Observer Variation; D013044:Specialty Boards