A comfortable awake tracheostomy in the high risk patient. Issue 2 (31st October 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Same, Melinda; King, Hannah; Doyle, Patrick
• Is Part Of: Anaesthesia cases. Volume 2:Issue 2(2014)
• Page Start: 82
• Page End: 83
• Publication Date: 2014-10-31
• Subjects: 617.9605
• DOI: 10.21466/ac.ACATITH.2014
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2396-8397

Abstract

Summary: We describe the case of a 56‐year‐old male presenting with intermittent airway obstruction due to a massive base of tongue tumour and the challenges the arise in order to secure a safe airway for tumour excision. This was a high‐risk case in a patient who we believed required an awake tracheostomy. We first undertook cricothyroid puncture with a Ravussin cannula to enable oxygenation of the patient whilst sedation was administered in order for the patient to better tolerate tracheostomy insertion. The outcome was improved patient comfort and cooperation in placement of the awake tracheostomy.