title: Difficult nasotracheal intubation: a previously unreported anatomical cause.
abstract: Anatomic and congenital abnormalities of the nasal pharynx may make nasotracheal intubation difficult. We present a case of a patient who was comatose from a drug overdose and who required endotracheal intubation. Blind nasotracheal intubation was attempted and was initially unsuccessful due to the presence of a congenital pharyngeal bursa. After the cause of the obstruction was recognized, guided nasotracheal intubation was accomplished without complications. The patient made an uneventful recovery.
authors.forename: J V
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Gallagher
authors.forename: M V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Vance
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Beechler
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005751:Gastric Lavage; D006801:Humans; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal / Q000379:methods*; D009305:Nasopharynx / Q000002:abnormalities*; D010881:Piperidones / Q000506:poisoning
chemical_list: D010881:Piperidones