Korean J Anesthesiol.  2008 Sep;55(3):353-357. 10.4097/kjae.2008.55.3.353.

Use of the Airtraq(R) optical laryngoscope as a rescue airway device following failed awake flexible fiberoptic nasotracheal intubation of a patient with severe microsomia: A case report

• Song JG
• Kwon MA

• KMID: 1764027
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4097/kjae.2008.55.3.353

Abstract

We report here the successful use of the Airtraq(R) optical laryngoscope (AOL) as a rescue device following failed awake flexible fiberoptic nasotracheal intubation of a patient with severe mandibular microsomia. We attempted awake fiberoptic nasotracheal intubation following topical anesthesia with 4% lidocaine spray three times to induce general anesthesia for distraction osteogenesis of mandibular bone. However, due to a shallow pharyngeal cavity and cranially displaced larynx, we failed to locate the larynx each time and were therefore not able to intubate the patient. Awake orotracheal intubation using the AOL allowed us to easily intubate the patient. Therefore, we recommend that the AOL be used as a rescue airway device for intubation of difficult airways.

Keyword

Airtraq; difficult airway; microsomia

MeSH Terms

Anesthesia
Anesthesia, General
Humans
Intubation
Laryngoscopes
Larynx
Lidocaine
Osteogenesis, Distraction
Lidocaine