title: Estimation of teeth-to-vallecula distance for prediction of optimal oropharyngeal airway length in young children.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Estimation of teeth-to-vallecula distance would facilitate the selection of properly sized oropharyngeal airways in young children. The aims of the present study were to measure the teeth-to-vallecula distance and to create an algorithm to predict this distance based on anatomical landmarks and patient characteristics in children.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two hundred children, aged 1-9 yr, undergoing elective surgery were investigated. After induction of general anaesthesia, the distance from the teeth to the vallecula was measured using a laryngoscope with a straight blade. After intubation, the distances from the mouth angle to the mandible angle and the tragus of the ear were measured with a tape measure.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The teeth-to-vallecula distance was significantly correlated with the age, weight, height, and external measurements (P<0.001). By stepwise multiple linear regression analysis, a formula was obtained for the teeth-to-vallecula distance (cm) = 3.998 + 0.017 × age (months)+the mouth-to-mandible distance × 0.286 with a high coefficient of determination (r²=0.764).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The teeth-to-vallecula distance can be predicted using the age and the mouth-to-mandible distance in young children.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Asan Medical Center, College of Medicine, University of Ulsan, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: D H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: E H
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Suk
authors.forename: P H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Park
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000465:Algorithms; D001827:Body Height; D001835:Body Weight; D001837:Body Weights and Measures; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal; D020704:Laryngoscopes; D008297:Male; D008334:Mandible / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D009055:Mouth / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D009960:Oropharynx / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D014070:Tooth