Awake Fiberoptic Intubation in Fast Track Ambulatory Surgery: A Case Report

An increasing number of surgical procedures are performed in the ambulatory setting, leading to improved patient comfort and cost-effectiveness. Patients with suspected or known difficult airways represent a challenge when anesthetized. This may explain why this patient group may be rejected for day-case surgery. We present 3 cases scheduled for day-case procedures with predicted difficult airways, where the feasibility of awake fiberoptic intubation is demonstrated in a Scandinavian fast track setting. Our hypothesis is that, with accurate preparations, intubation times are comparable with conventional intubation and that the procedure is associated with only minor patient discomfort.