title: Submental intubation in a patient with beta-thalassaemia major undergoing elective maxillary and mandibular osteotomies.
abstract: A 33-yr-old woman with marked maxillo-facial deformities as a result of underlying beta-thalassaemia major was to undergo corrective maxillary and mandibular osteotomies. The placement of an endotracheal tube posed a problem in this patient because of anatomical deformities in her nasal passage, surgical constraints on using the oral route, and reluctance of the patient to have a tracheostomy. This case report describes the use of a submental tracheal intubation technique, and the associated anaesthetic difficulties encountered in patients with this pathology.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology, Queen Mary Hospital, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: P H K
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Mak
authors.forename: R G B
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Ooi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000768:Anesthesia, General / Q000379:methods; D017558:Elective Surgical Procedures; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal / Q000379:methods*; D007571:Jaw Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D008334:Mandible / Q000601:surgery*; D008437:Maxilla / Q000601:surgery*; D010027:Osteotomy / Q000379:methods*; D017086:beta-Thalassemia / Q000150:complications*