Investigation into the intraoperative management of the difficult pediatric airway: A scoping review

Introduction/Objectives: Pediatric airways can pose a significant challenge to anesthesia providers. Almost 20% of pediatric patients undergoing general anesthesia are considered to have a difficult airway due to congenital anomalies, craniofacial deformities, trauma, or infection. The majority of children with difficult airways can be identified preoperatively, but the variety of clinical scenarios in which difficult airways can quickly arise requires an individualized approach that considers the underlying condition and the patient’s physiological status. The objective of this scoping review is to identify clinical challenges and complications, summarize outcomes of airway methods, and identify existing knowledge gaps to guide future airway management research.