title: Collaborative intervention to improve airway assessment and safety in management for anaesthesia: the Qualitat & Via Aèria (QUAVA) study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Airway assessment and management are cornerstones of anaesthesia, yet airway complications remain an important source of morbidity.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We performed a before-and-after evaluation of a collaborative intervention to improve adherence to airway assessment and management guidelines in patients scheduled for surgery under general anaesthesia.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective, multicentre before-and-after evaluation of a collaborative intervention.
  
  
  METHODS
  Collaborative intervention to improve adherence to airway assessment and management guidelines in patients scheduled for surgery under general anaesthesia. Data were collected on 21 consecutive days before and after the intervention.
  
  
  METHODS
  Anaesthetists with staff or residency positions at 22 hospitals. Patients aged 18 years or older undergoing nonemergency surgery were recruited.
  
  
  METHODS
  Establishing a learning network that included local leaders, meetings to share experiences and knowledge, interactive sessions and provision of printed materials on airway assessment and management. Clinical airway management for general anaesthesia was provided by the anaesthetists participating in the study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Outcomes were the completion of airway assessment at the preanaesthetic visit, rates of unanticipated difficult airway, algorithm adherence and related airway complications.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study included 3753 patients (1947 preintervention and 1806 postintervention). The percentage of patients with a complete airway assessment increased from 25.1% preintervention to 48.4% postintervention (P <0.001). The incidences of unanticipated difficult airway were 4.1% before the intervention and 3% after it (P = 0.433). Rates of adherence to the algorithms for anticipated and unanticipated difficult airway management were similar in the two periods. The incidences of related adverse events were also similar.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The collaborative intervention was effective in improving airway assessment but not in changing difficult airway management practices.
authors.affiliation: From the Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, Universitat de Barcelona (RV, AL), Avedis Donabedian Research Institute (FAD), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, and Red de investigación en servicios de salud en enfermedades crónicas (REDISSEC) (CO), Hospital Universitari de Bellvitge, University of Barcelona (VM, RV, PC), Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (EM, PV, JC), Fundació Puigvert (IUNA) (SS), Parc de Salut Mar, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (SB), USP, Institut Universitari Dexeus, Barcelona (RB), Hospital Universitari de Girona Dr Josep Trueta, Girona (AV) and Hospital Universitari Joan XXIII, Rovira i Virgili University, Anestarraco (IISPV), Tarragona (CA), Spain.
authors.forename: Ricard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Valero
authors.forename: Carola
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Orrego
authors.forename: Victor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Mayoral
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Massó
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: López
authors.forename: Sergi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sabaté
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Villalonga
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bermejo
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Borràs
authors.forename: Pere
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vila
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Villalonga
authors.forename: Cristóbal
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Añez
authors.forename: Pau
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Casals
authors.forename: Jaume
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Canet
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D058109:Airway Management / Q000379:methods*; D000465:Algorithms; D000768:Anesthesia, General / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D000776:Anesthesiology / Q000379:methods*; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D005260:Female; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011446:Prospective Studies