Acute Awake Fiberoptic Intubation in the ICU in a Patient with Limited Mouth Opening and Hypoxemic Acute Respiratory Failure. (23rd October 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hannig, Kjartan E.; Hauritz, Rasmus W.; Jessen, Christian; Grejs, Anders M.
• Other Names: Michalek Pavel Academic Editor.
• Is Part Of: Case reports in anesthesiology. Volume 2019(2019)
• Publication Date: 2019-10-23
• Subjects: Anesthesiology -- Periodicals; 617.9605
• DOI: 10.1155/2019/6421910
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2090-6382

Abstract

Abstract : The incidence and survival of patients with head-and-neck cancer have been on the increase for decades. Following surgery or radiation therapy, complications such as difficult airways may evolve. These difficult airways may be unique and not manageable with conventional intubation methods as well as video laryngoscopes. Acute awake fiberoptic intubation may be a feasible option also for urgent emergency airway management of known difficult airways. The "cannot intubate–cannot oxygenate" (CI–CO) situation has to be avoided at all costs, since emergency cricothyrotomy has a fail ratio of more than 50% when performed by an anesthesiologist.