Korean J Anesthesiol.  2016 Apr;69(2):167-170. 10.4097/kjae.2016.69.2.167.

Failed intubation of an unanticipated postintubation tracheal stenosis: a case report

• Youn AM
• Yoon SH
• Park SY

• KMID: 2242955
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4097/kjae.2016.69.2.167

Abstract

Encountering a patient with unanticipated laryngotracheal stenosis (LTS) during anesthetic induction is challenging for an anesthesiologist. Because routine history taking and pre-anesthetic evaluation cannot rule out the possibility of LTS, other measures should be taken. Perioperative airway maintenance is considered crucial for avoiding complications such as airway edema, bleeding, obstruction, collapse, and ultimately respiratory failure and arrest. We report an unanticipated tracheal stenosis discovered during anesthetic induction that hindered endotracheal intubation. Because airway maintenance was difficult, we postponed surgery until determining the cause of the difficult entry, considered possible therapeutic approaches (both anesthetic and surgical), and provided successful surgery with a continuous epidural block.

Keyword

Airway management; Laryngotracheal stenosis

MeSH Terms

Airway Management
Constriction, Pathologic
Edema
Hemorrhage
Humans
Intubation*
Intubation, Intratracheal
Respiratory Insufficiency
Tracheal Stenosis*