title: Management of difficult intubation in a patient with ankylosing spondylitis--a case report.
abstract: We describe a case of difficult intubation in a patient suffering from ankylosing spondylitis undergoing total hip replacement surgery. The anesthetic management of 42 year old patient with difficult airway is discussed. Failure of epidural anesthesia procedure necessitated general anesthesia. The problems of performing awake fibreoptic intubation and other alternative techniques to secure the airway are described. Cervical spine involvement in ankylosing spondylitis is of great concern for the anesthetist. Longstanding progressive course of this disease leads to fibrosis, ossification and ankylosis of entire spine and sacroiliac joints. Cervical spine mobility is decreased and in severe cases total fixity occurs in a flexed position. Patient may also have atlanto-occipital and temporo-mandibular joint involvement as well. Cricoarytenoid cartilages involvement may result in upper airway compromise. Furthermore cervical spine vertebrae are prone to fractures, especially on hyperextension and may lead to spinal cord transection and quadriplegia. In this case report we describe the airway management of such patient with fixed rigidity of cervical spine and thoracolumbar kyphosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesia, King Khalid University Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. doctornauman@hotmail.com
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ahmad
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Channa
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mansoor
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hussain
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000150:complications*; D000767:Anesthesia, Epidural / Q000379:methods; D000779:Anesthetics, Local / Q000008:administration & dosage; D019644:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip / Q000379:methods; D001999:Bronchoscopy / Q000379:methods; D002404:Catheterization / Q000379:methods; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D005336:Fiber Optic Technology / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal / Q000379:methods*; D007738:Kyphosis / Q000150:complications; D007830:Larynx / Q000002:abnormalities; D008012:Lidocaine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D011859:Radiography; D013167:Spondylitis, Ankylosing / Q000150:complications*; D016683:Supine Position / Q000502:physiology; D017211:Treatment Failure
chemical_list: D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D008012:Lidocaine