Efficacy of a Bronchofiberscope in Combination with the GlideScopee in a Difficult Airway Patient
Yukihiro Imajo; Komasawa, N.; Fujiwara, S.; Tsuji, E.; Minami, T.
Masui. Japanese Journal of Anesthesiology 65(10): 1013-1015
2016
ISSN/ISBN: 0021-4892 PMID: 30358276 Document Number: 688819
We present a case of securing a difficult airway in which intubation with a fiberoptic bronchoscope (FOB) assisted by the GlideScope® (GS) was effective. A 69-year-old man was scheduled to undergo laparoscopic hernia repair under general anesthesia. He had a small jaw and Grade 3 upper lip bite test in the preoperative assessment. Mask ventilation was possible following the induction of general anesthesia. Given that the glottis was not observable with the Macintosh laryngoscope (Cormack-Lehane Grade 4), laryngoscopy was per- formed with the GS, which allowed visualization of the tip of the epiglottis. Under GS monitoring, we inserted the FOB under the epiglottis and bent the tip upward to observe the lower edge of the glottis, which allowed for successful tracheal intubation. We conclude that use of the GS in combination with a FOB allows for secur- ing difficult airways that would otherwise be impossi- ble to intubate with the GS or FOB alone.