Objective: laryngospasm is a glotiss closure due to reflex constriction of the laryngeal muscles. It mainly happened at induction, maintenance and emergence phases of general anaesthesia (GA).Considerable research have been done previously but, consequences of laryngospasm, various results and gate opener values of previous studies intiated us to do this research. So this study was aimed to assess the incidence and associated factors of laryngospasm among pediatric patients who undergone surgery under GA.
Methods:institutional based cross sectional study was conducted on pediatric patients from February to August, 2019 in university of Gondar comprehensive specialised hospital (UOGCSH). Data were entered and analaysed with SPSS version 20.Variables with P value less than 0.2 in bivariate analysis was fitted in to multivariable logistic regression analysis to identify factors associated with laryngospasm. Both crude and adjusted odds ratio with 95% CI were calculated to show the strength of association. In multivariable analysis, P value of less than 0.05 were considered as statistically significant.
Results: The incidence of laryngospasm among pediatric patients who undergone surgery under GA was 57 (18.39%) . Of this 34 (59.6%) were happened during emergence, 12 (21.1%) during maintenance and 11 (19.3%) during induction phase of GA. In multivariable analysis, airway anomalies (AOR : 14.64,95%CI:1.71,125.04) , orophyrangeal secretion (AOR : 2.45,95%CI:1.19,5.06), attempts of airway devices insertion (AOR : 2.47,95%CI:1.16,5.22), upper respiratory tract infection (AOR : 2.91,95%CI:1.008,8.41) and inadequate depth of anesthesia (AOR : 7.92,95%CI:2.7,23.22) were significantly associated with incidence of laryngospasm.
Conclusion: laryngospasm at induction, maintainance and emergence phases of GA was high in UOGCSH. Inadequate depth of anaesthesia, upper respiratory tract infection, airway anomalies, multiple attempts of airway device insertion, and orophyrangeal secretion were predictors of laryngospasm. So it is better to have patient optimisation for patients having URTI and airway anomalies, reduce the attempts of airway device insertion and adequate depth of anesthesia as well as adequate suctioning of oropharynx.