title: Pentax-AWS videolaryngoscope for awake nasal intubation in patients with unstable necks.
abstract: In patients with unstable necks and at risk of pulmonary aspiration, awake fibreoptic intubation is often appropriate. However, stabilization of the neck can make fibreoptic intubation more difficult. I report the use of awake nasal intubation using the Pentax-Aiway Scope (AWS) in three patients with restricted neck movement, in whom awake fibreoptic intubation had failed. Case 1: a 59-yr-old man, at risk of aspiration, required an emergency cervical laminectomy. Awake fibreoptic intubation was attempted while a Halo vest was being applied, but it was impossible to see the glottis, mainly due to pharyngeal and laryngeal oedema. The Pentax-AWS was easily inserted orally, and nasotracheal intubation was achieved within 20 s. Case 2: an 85-yr-old woman with neck injury required emergency surgical stabilization. A retropharyngeal haematoma prevented a fibreoptic bronchoscope from being advanced beyond the epiglottis. Nasotracheal intubation using the Pentax-AWS (with the aid of a gum elastic bougie) was achieved within 1 min. Case 3: a 22-yr-old man, with partial spinal cord damage, was undergoing cervical laminoplasty. He was at risk of aspiration and had an oedematous larynx. Although it was possible to insert a fibreoptic bronchoscope into the trachea while the neck was stabilized with a Halo vest, it was impossible to advance a tube over the fibrescope. Awake nasotracheal intubation using the Pentax-AWS was achieved within 15 s. The Pentax-AWS may be useful for nasotracheal intubation in awake patients with restricted necks.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology, Kansai Medical University, 10-15 Fumizono-cho, Moriguchi City, Osaka 570-8507, Japan. asait@takii.kmu.ac.jp
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Asai
mesh_terms: D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007103:Immobilization; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D020704:Laryngoscopes; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009296:Nasal Cavity; D019838:Neck Injuries / Q000601:surgery*; D020535:Video-Assisted Surgery; D055815:Young Adult