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,  Jae Gyok; Kwon,  Min A

doi:2008.55.3.353

Case Report

Korean Journal of Anesthesiology 2008;55(3):353-357.
DOI: https://doi.org/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.

Jae Gyok Song, Min A Kwon

Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, College of Medicine, Dankook University, Cheonan, Korea. mmauss73@dankook.ac.kr

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.

Key Words: Airtraq; difficult airway; microsomia