Korean J Anesthesiol.  2021 Jun;74(3):262-265. 10.4097/kja.20430.

Endotracheal intubation using a three-dimensional printed airway model in a patient with Pierre Robin sequence and a history of tracheostomy -a case report-

• Park S
• Ahn J
• Kim HJ
• Choi EJ
• Kim HY

• KMID: 2517144
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4097/kja.20430

Abstract

Background
Pierre Robin sequence (PRS) patients have an increased risk of difficult intubation due to anatomical airway abnormalities, and intubation simulation with a three-dimensional (3D) printed airway model before anesthesia may facilitate safe airway management. Case: We describe the case of a 6.5-year-old boy with a history of PRS (a triad of micrognathia, glossoptosis, and airway obstruction), tracheostomy, and subglottic fibrosis who required general anesthesia. Preparation for this potentially difficult intubation included estimation of endotracheal tube size using a 3D printed airway model derived from 3D computed tomography of the airway, which enabled successful endotracheal intubation via video laryngoscopy.
Conclusions
If general anesthesia is necessary in patients with dysmorphic features such as PRS and there is a history of tracheal pathology, the possibility of difficult intubation should always be considered and simulation of endotracheal intubation using a 3D printed model of the airway can be helpful clinically in such situations.

Keyword

3D printing; Airway model; Endotracheal intubation; Pierre Robin sequence; PRS; Simulation