title: Failed intubation in the intensive care unit managed with laryngeal mask airway and percutaneous tracheostomy.
abstract: We report the management of failed intubation in a critically ill, hypoxic and catabolic patient with sepsis and acute lung injury. Insertion of a laryngeal mask airway restored ventilation and corrected hypoxia. As the laryngeal mask provides only a temporary airway, it was essential to secure the airway by percutaneous tracheostomy to initiate mechanical ventilation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesia and Critical Care, Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, India.
authors.forename: J V
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Divatia
authors.forename: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Kulkarni
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sindhkar
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Upadhye
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal; D017214:Laryngeal Masks; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012121:Respiration, Artificial; D014139:Tracheostomy