Laryngotracheal hypoplasia--a rare cause of difficult intubation

Generalized hypoplasia of the larynx and trachea is a very rare condition with only one case reported in the literature. A pregnant woman presented for an emergency laparotomy under general anaesthesia. Endotracheal intubation with conventional sizes of tracheal tubes failed, despite a Cormack and Lehane grade I laryngoscopic view. Subsequent investigations demonstrated generalized hypoplasia of the larynx and trachea. In this report, successful anaesthetic management of this case is discussed along with other possible options.