Objective:

To evaluate the circumference of the neck as a clinical component, which helps predict a difficult airway in the obese patient, undergoing intubation and general anesthesia, for various surgical procedures.

Material and methods:

An experimental study, randomized, prospective, was performed in obese patients scheduled for elective surgery. Ninety patients were studied. To correlate the circumference of the neck with the difficulty forintubation with direct laryngoscopy, using a conventional laryngoscope.

Results:

The predominant patients were age 40 to 49, with 80 to 99 kg weight. Size of 150 to 199 cm, index of coarporal mas of 30 to 34.9 cm, ASA II. Twenty eight patients presented difficulty to be ventilated and sixteen for intubation, one was not possible to intubate and was operated with laryngeal mask. Most corresponds to the circumference of necks of forty five or more cm. The odds ratio or OR was 1.4.

Conclusion:

There is no association between neck circumference and difficult airway in obese patients, but there is a marked increase in risk of facing a difficult intubation. The measurement of the circumference of the neck associated with other conventional scales, can improve the accuracy and the diagnostic value of these in the obese patient.