A Case of a One-Month-Old Infant Who Underwent Oral Intubation With Tongue Traction After Decompressing an Oral Cyst

Lymphangioma is a rare congenital anomaly of the lymphatic system that can lead to an airway emergency when it occurs in the oral cavity or neck. Here, we report a case of a one-month-old infant who presented with an airway emergency due to a giant lymphangioma. The infant was rushed to the ICU with respiratory and feeding difficulties, and examination revealed a large mass on the floor of the mouth. Airway management was challenging due to the cyst. After puncturing the cyst, a suture was placed at the tip of the tongue to allow forward traction. The oral surgeon then pulled the tongue forward to secure space for laryngoscope insertion. Awake intubation was performed with 0.03 mg of atropine, and a McGrath Mac Disposable Laryngoscope Blade #1 (Aircraft Medical, Edinburgh, Scotland) was inserted under spontaneous respiration. Tongue traction and video laryngoscopy were used for intubation, and this method may be considered a valuable option for airway management.