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Difficult bag-mask ventilation (BMV) occurs in about 2% to 5% of elective anesthesia patients, depending on the definition. Previous studies (JW Emerg Med Jul 1 2000) have identified clinical predictors, including obesity, older age, and difficult mask seal (because of presence of a beard or a small mandible). To identify predictors of impossible BMV, these authors prospectively recorded clinical attributes for 53,041 adult patients who underwent elective anesthesia and subsequently received BMV at a single hospital from 2004 to 2008.
BMV was impossible in 77 patients (0.16%). Multivariate regression analysis identified the following independent predictors of impossible BMV: neck changes secondary to radiation therapy, presence of a beard, m…