title: Dexmedetomidine for awake fibreoptic intubation and awake self-positioning in a patient with a critically located cervical lesion for surgical removal of infra-tentorial tumour.
abstract: Cervical lesions compressing the spinal cord pose a significant risk of exacerbating the existing neurological condition during tracheal intubation and subsequent positioning. Awake fibreoptic-assisted intubation is a suitable option in such situations. We describe how the use of dexmedetomidine for sedation during awake fibreoptic intubation also facilitated self-positioning before surgery in a patient with a cervical cord compressive lesion and raised intracranial pressure undergoing excision of a cerebellopontine angle lesion in the lateral position, without any adverse neurological outcome.
authors.affiliation: Neuroanaesthesia, National Institute of Mental Health & Neurosciences, Bangalore, India. drsri23@rediffmail.com
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sriganesh
authors.forename: V J
authors.initials: VJ
authors.lastname: Ramesh
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Veena
authors.forename: B A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Chandramouli
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016292:Procedural Sedation / Q000379:methods; D020927:Dexmedetomidine; D005260:Female; D005336:Fiber Optic Technology; D006801:Humans; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal / Q000379:methods*; D016518:Neurofibromatosis 2 / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D009464:Neuroma, Acoustic / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D056888:Patient Positioning; D013117:Spinal Cord Compression / Q000209:etiology
chemical_list: D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D020927:Dexmedetomidine