Blind Nasal Intubation Technique In Parotid Carcinoma Patient: A Case Report
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Abstract
Introduction: Airway difficulties are a major concern for anesthesiologists. Patients with head and neck cancer have approximately 10% risk of anatomical abnormalities in the aerodigestive tract, which increases the risk of encountering difficulties in airway management. Although fiberoptic intubation is a widely accepted method for managing difficult airways, there are situations where it cannot be performed, such as airway pathology or equipment unavailability in various institutions.
Case presentation: We encountered difficult airway management in a 60-year-old woman with a Mallampati score of 4 due to a parotid tumor T3N0M0 undergoing radical parotidectomy surgery. The patient's current anatomical condition and surgical plan mandates an awake blind nasal intubation. Due to lack of fiberoptic equipment, a pre-curved endotracheal tube that had been frozen overnight was inserted blindly using only topical anesthesia in the nasal cavity and transtracheal block. Intubation was successful on the first attempt without complications.
Conclusions: Blind nasal intubation with a pre-curved tube is an effective and safe procedure to perform on patients with difficult airways when advanced airway equipment such as video laryngoscopy and fiber optics are not available.
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References
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