Visible epiglottis in children

Mallampati class zero airway. A narrative review

We aim to summarize the current knowledge about Mallampati class zero airway and its implication on airway management. Mallampati class zero airway describes a visible epiglottis on pharyngoscopic view. We reviewed the reported studies about visible epiglottis on pharyngoscopy and 35 publications were selected. Mallampati class zero airway has a low prevalence in the general population and it is more frequent in children and female. The cause for this phenomenon is not well understood but in clinical practice it is associated with an easy airway. Its inclusion as a new class in modified Mallampati classification would facilitate its diffusion and promote further investigation.