Endotracheal intubation under local anesthesia and sedation in an infant with difficult airway

Kirti N Saxena1, Parul Bansal

  • 1Department of Anesthesiology, Maulana Azad Medical College, New Delhi, India.

Insights

Managing a difficult infant airway is challenging. This case report details successful endotracheal intubation in an infant with a large nasopharyngeal mass using sedation and local anesthesia, avoiding general anesthesia.

Area of Science:

  • Anesthesiology
  • Pediatric Otolaryngology

Background:

  • Infant airway management presents unique challenges for anesthesiologists.
  • Nasopharyngeal masses can significantly obstruct the airway, complicating procedures.

Observation:

  • A 10-month-old infant presented with a rapidly enlarging nasopharyngeal mass protruding through a cleft palate into the oropharynx.
  • The infant required surgical excision of the mass under general anesthesia.

Findings:

  • Successful endotracheal intubation was achieved using sedation and local anesthesia.
  • This approach facilitated the planned surgical intervention for the nasopharyngeal mass.

Implications:

  • This case highlights a viable alternative to general anesthesia for intubation in select pediatric airway emergencies.
  • It offers a potential strategy for managing difficult pediatric airways caused by congenital masses.
  • This method may reduce anesthetic risks in infants with significant airway obstruction.

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