Airway management in an infant with congenital trismus: the role of retrograde intubation

Authors

  • Rohith Krishna Kasturba Medical College
  • Thrivikram V Shenoy Kasturba Medical College
  • Umesh Goneppanavar Kasturba Medical College

Keywords:

Congenital trismus, retrograde intubation, blind nasal intubation

Abstract

Congenital trismus is a serious anomaly, and establishment of an airway for surgical correction is a challenge. In the case of limited mouth opening, the nasal route is the only available option to secure the airway via the supraglottic route. Various airway management options include blind intubation, retrograde intubation and fibre-optic intubation, failing which a tracheostomy might be needed. We present the airway management of a seven-month-old infant with congenital trismus who was scheduled for corrective surgery. After several unsuccessful attempts at blind nasal intubation, with the infant on spontaneous ventilation, breathing sevoflurane in oxygen, we managed to secure the airway successfully by retrograde intubation.

Author Biographies

Rohith Krishna, Kasturba Medical College

Assistant Professor Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Kasturba Medical College Manipal

Thrivikram V Shenoy, Kasturba Medical College

MD Professor and Unit Head Department of Anaesthesiology Kasturba Medical College Mangalore

Umesh Goneppanavar, Kasturba Medical College

Associate Professor Department of Anaesthesiology Kasturba Medical College Manipal

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Published

2012-07-08

Issue

Section

Case Studies