Predicting difficult intubation from voice patterns before surgery
Official title: Research on a Machine Learning-Based Predictive Model for Difficult Intubation Using Specific Vocal Characteristics
Run by Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital · NCT07278232 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study tests whether acoustic features from specific vowel sounds can predict a difficult airway before anesthesia in people awaiting elective surgery.
Quick facts
| Study type | Observational |
|---|---|
| Ages | 15 Years to 70 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 300 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital Academic / other |
| Drugs / interventions | chemotherapy |
| Locations | 1 site (Shanghai) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | December 20, 2025 |
| Main results expected | December 31, 2026 |
| Study ends | December 31, 2026 |
| Registry record updated | August 24, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07278232 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Adults and adolescents aged 15–70 scheduled for elective surgery requiring general anesthesia with tracheal intubation, who can complete voice recordings.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients with speech, hearing, or craniofacial disorders that affect voice recordings, or those unable to complete recordings, may not benefit from this approach.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This is a prospective, single-center, observational study enrolling up to 300 patients aged 15–70 who are scheduled for elective general anesthesia with tracheal intubation. Researchers will analyze voice recordings of selected vowels to identify patterns associated with difficult airway anatomy, using machine learning, while standard care and anesthesia procedures remain unchanged. The goal is to create a quick, non-invasive preoperative risk tool to help anesthesiologists anticipate challenging intubations and improve patient safety. The study excludes individuals with speech, hearing, or craniofacial conditions that could confound voice measurements or airway assessment. No interventions are being tested; data collection is observational and non-interventional.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the tool could enable earlier planning and preparedness for difficult intubations, potentially reducing airway-related complications.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work using acoustic features and machine learning in airway predictions has shown promise in some settings but remains exploratory and not yet standard practice.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Patients scheduled for elective general anesthesia with tracheal intubation. Exclusion Criteria: * Patients with speech and pronunciation disorders (vocal cord diseases, cleft palate, craniofacial deformities, extensive tooth defects, cleft lip). * Hearing impairment (difficulty in communication, inaccurate repetition). * Patients with central nervous system diseases causing significant pronunciation abnormalities. * Patients contraindicated for direct laryngoscopy (e.g., post-chemotherapy in the pharynx, diseases prone to mucosal bleeding, etc.) that affect group allocation, as well as those unable to complete the recording or temporarily reassigned to other anesthesia methods.
Where it's running
-
Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital Affiliated with Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine
Shanghai, China Recruiting
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Jun Yao
- Email: guoxinger@126.com
- Phone: +86 18930173671
Similar studies
Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.
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Video laryngoscopy versus direct laryngoscopy for initial tracheal intubation in children
This trial tests whether using a video laryngoscope on the first try helps doctors successfully place a breathing tube in children undergoing surgery more often than a direct laryngoscope.
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Upper airway ultrasound and routine measurements to predict difficult intubation
This will test whether ultrasound measurements of the tongue and neck can better predict difficult laryngoscopy and intubation in adults having elective surgery.
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How often difficult airways occur during heart surgery and creating a tool to predict them
This project will try to measure how often adults having cardiovascular surgery experience difficult airways and build a prediction model to spot those at higher risk.
-
Supplemental oxygenation for young children during intubation
This study tests if giving extra oxygen through a small tube in the nose can help young children breathe better during intubation and make the process safer.
How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.