Predicting difficult airway intubation in thyroid surgery using multiple machine learning and deep learning algorithms.

BACKGROUND

In this paper, we examine whether machine learning and deep learning can be used to predict difficult airway intubation in patients undergoing thyroid surgery.

METHODS

We used 10 machine learning and deep learning algorithms to establish a corresponding model through a training group, and then verify the results in a test group. We used R for the statistical analysis and constructed the machine learning prediction model in Python.

RESULTS

The top 5 weighting factors for difficult airways identified by the average algorithm in machine learning were age, sex, weight, height, and BMI. In the training group, the AUC values and accuracy and the Gradient Boosting precision were 0.932, 0.929, and 100%, respectively. As for the modeled effects of predicting difficult airways in test groups, among the models constructed by the 10 algorithms, the three algorithms with the highest AUC values were Gradient Boosting, CNN, and LGBM, with values of 0.848, 0.836, and 0.812, respectively; In addition, among the algorithms, Gradient Boosting had the highest accuracy with a value of 0.913; Additionally, among the algorithms, the Gradient Boosting algorithm had the highest precision with a value of 100%.

CONCLUSION

According to our results, Gradient Boosting performed best overall, with an AUC >0.8, an accuracy >90%, and a precision of 100%. Besides, the top 5 weighting factors identified by the average algorithm in machine learning for difficult airways were age, sex, weight, height, and BMI.