title: Staged extubation to manage the airway after operations on the head and neck.
abstract: Management of the airway after operations on the head and neck is potentially problematic. We describe leaving a guidewire in the trachea after successful extubation in two patients, to make reintubation easier if the airway was later compromised.
authors.affiliation: Regional Maxillofacial Unit, Aintree University Hospital, Longmoor Lane, Liverpool, Merseyside, L9 7AL. Electronic address: eointwohig29@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Eoin M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Twohig
authors.affiliation: Regional Maxillofacial Unit, Aintree University Hospital, Longmoor Lane, Liverpool, Merseyside, L9 7AL. Electronic address: drrossleader@hotmail.co.uk.
authors.forename: Ross
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Leader
authors.affiliation: Regional Maxillofacial Unit, Aintree University Hospital, Longmoor Lane, Liverpool, Merseyside, L9 7AL. Electronic address: Richard.Shaw@liverpool.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Richard J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Shaw
authors.affiliation: Regional Maxillofacial Unit, Aintree University Hospital, Longmoor Lane, Liverpool, Merseyside, L9 7AL. Electronic address: pete.charters@btinternet.com.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Charters
mesh_terms: D060666:Airway Extubation; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal
keywords: Airway; Guidewire; Head and neck surgery; Reintubation