Dexmedetomidine sedation for a dental extraction in a patient with known difficult airway

Fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva is an autosomal dominant condition that causes cervical spine fusion and ankylosis of the temporomandibular joint, resulting in anaesthetic challenges. Awake tracheal intubation with flexible bronchoscopy is recommended for general anaesthetics required by patients with this disease. This case report describes the novel approach of using dexmedetomidine sedation in combination with local anaesthesia to allow dental extraction of the fifth and seventh upper left teeth in a patient with fibrodyplasia ossificans progressive, who had a known difficult airway and profound thrombocytopenia. This procedure was not previously tolerated by the patient under local anaesthesia alone. The use of dexmedetomidine was successful in facilitating completion of the procedure with a high degree of patient satisfaction. We discuss the advantages of dexmedetomidine over other sedative agents due to its minimal effects on respiratory drive and airway muscle tone. We highlight the use of dexmedetomidine for complex cases such as this, where tracheal intubation is potentially challenging, but the procedure itself could be managed under sedation and local anaesthesia.

Near total intrathoracic airway obstruction managed with a Tritube® and flow-controlled ventilation

We describe the management of a case of near total airway obstruction in a 79-year-old man who presented with a 2-week history of increasing shortness of breath and stridor. Computed tomography imaging revealed a mid-tracheal mass of unknown aetiology with critical airway obstruction. We secured the patient's airway using a TriTube^® (Ventinova, Eindhoven, the Netherlands). While this facilitated a secure airway past the lesion, various issues were encountered which complicated the safe conduct of anaesthesia. We conclude that while the TriTube and Evone^® flow-controlled ventilation (Ventinova) are useful for critical airway obstruction, they can be problematic and thorough planning is essential.

Infrared flashing light through the cricothyroid membrane to guide flexible bronchoscopic tracheal intubation

Flexible bronchoscopic tracheal intubation is a fundamental technique in the management of the difficult airway but requires specific skills which may be both difficult to achieve and maintain. Therefore, techniques to improve its success should be developed. We present two cases, one where the ear, nose and throat surgeon could not view the glottis due to laryngeal pathology, and one where pathology in the oropharynx obscured access to the trachea during attempts at flexible bronchoscopic and videolaryngoscopic tracheal intubation. In both cases, tracheal intubation was subsequently successful due to the use of the Infrared Red Intubation System. This is an infrared light source that is secured to the anterior neck. It emits a flashing infrared light that is captured by the flexible bronchoscope, thus guiding the way to the trachea. These are the first reports of this technology being used for flexible bronchoscopic tracheal intubation in patients with severe airway pathology where conventional approaches had failed. Both cases emphasise that this technique can be of benefit in avoiding a surgical airway.

Laryngectomy with a Tritube® and flow-controlled ventilation

We describe the novel use of the TriTube^® and Evone^® ventilator (Ventinova, Eindhoven, Netherlands) to facilitate curative resection of a transglottic squamous cell carcinoma. A 43-year-old man presented with acute laryngeal and subglottic airway obstruction secondary to a stage 4 transglottic squamous cell carcinoma. The patient underwent magnetic resonance imaging followed by a diagnostic panendoscopy. It was decided that tumour resection was appropriate and a management plan was established by a multi disciplinary team. A total laryngectomy was performed. It was determined that failure of translaryngeal tracheal intubation could be rescued with emergency surgical front-of-neck airway. General anaesthesia was induced using a total intravenous anaesthesia technique, oxygenation was achieved with high-flow nasal oxygen and the airway was secured using the TriTube and flow-controlled ventilation was delivered throughout the procedure using the Evone ventilator. This avoided an awake or emergency tracheostomy, with the associated theoretical risk of tumour seeding, allowed for excellent gas exchange throughout and permitted the surgeons to maintain a closed system during much of the procedure, including during fashioning of the stoma. When traditional laryngectomy tubes are used, this process ordinarily involves multiple extubations and apnoeic periods. Furthermore, the small subglottic tube allowed intra-operative assessment of the extent of the subglottic tumour, facilitating curative en bloc resection.

Tracheal resection: the team brief in multi-stage airway surgery

The multidisciplinary team brief and effective clinical decision-making are critical to airway surgery. To illustrate this, we present the case of a 58-year-old female with papillary thyroid cancer invading the trachea. We describe a basic framework that was used to aid planning the management of this patient. Tracheal resection is a complex airway operation requiring the evaluation of airway obstruction risk, the formulation of strategies for complex airway management and lung ventilation during complete resection of the tracheal segment and a handover plan for safe tracheal extubation. We suggest that team performance is facilitated by a standardised structure for consideration of anticipated events and important decisions to be made before the operation. Furthermore, it can provide a platform to engage the team when unanticipated events occur and alternate plans have to be made in a time-critical manner.

The use of high-flow nasal oxygen during airway management in a child with epidermolysis bullosa dystrophica and a difficult airway

The role of high-flow nasal oxygen in paediatric anaesthesia has been emerging in recent years. However, literature regarding its benefits in paediatric difficult airway management is limited. In this case report, we describe the use of high-flow nasal oxygen during airway management of a child with a difficult airway due to epidermolysis bullosa dystrophica in whom the use of a facemask would have been potentially harmful. Deep sedation was achieved with propofol and remifentanil while maintaining spontaneous breathing before flexible bronchoscopic tracheal intubation was attempted. However, on attempted tracheal intubation difficulty was encountered due to poor visualisation and contact bleeding. Tracheal intubation was eventually successful after converting to videolaryngoscopy. Oxygenation was maintained throughout the process despite deep sedation and a long procedure time. Moreover, no skin abrasions or mucosal injury resulted from the use of high-flow nasal oxygen. We conclude that high-flow nasal oxygen has a valuable role during airway management for a child with a predicted difficult airway when the use of a facemask would have been potentially harmful.