ABSTRACT

The videolaryngoscope is a useful alternative airway device for anaesthesia management of difficult airways. However videolaryngoscope intubation may fail due to lack of experience, incorrect application, inappropriate stylet, prior traumatic attempts, restricted cervical movement and limited oropharyngeal airspace. Using a stylet and correctly shaped endotracheal tube is important to facilitate tracheal intubation with the videolaryngoscope, especially in paediatric patients. However, anatomical difficulty in the placement of the laryngoscope blade, association with facial deformities such as micrognathia, having a short neck, cleft palate and being younger than 1 year increase the likelihood of a difficult airway. In this report, we present our approach to difficult airway management in a failed intubation with a videolaryngoscope in an infant undergoing cleft palate surgery.

Keywords: Laryngoscopy, stylet, difficult airway, cleft palate