Key result
Comprehensive pre-anesthetic evaluation of head and neck cancer patients is crucial for optimal anesthetic care, with a primary focus on assessing for a difficult airway.
Comprehensive preoperative evaluation, particularly airway assessment, is crucial for optimal anesthetic management in head and neck cancer patients.
Supports routine difficult airway assessment in head and neck cancer; leaves open prospective validation of evaluation protocols.
Head and neck cancer patients have anatomic and physiologic changes due to the disease itself and those associated with treatments like chemotherapy and radiotherapy that makes anesthetic management of these patients a challenge. The most important aspect of pre-anesthetic evaluation of these patients is assessment for difficult airway. Appropriate assessment of associated co-morbid conditions should be done. Laboratory and special studies should be guided by patient's history and physical examination. Specialty consultations should be sought only if it alters anesthetic plan considerably as these may cause unwarranted delay in surgery. This review article highlights special points in the comprehensive preoperative evaluation of the head and neck cancer patients so that optimal anesthetic care can be ensured.
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A 2008 study conducted a review in Head and neck cancer. Pre-anesthetic evaluation was evaluated. Comprehensive pre-anesthetic evaluation of head and neck cancer patients is crucial for optimal anesthetic care, with a primary focus on assessing for a difficult airway.
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