Fibre optic-assisted endotracheal intubation through the laryngeal mask in children

• Published in: Der Anaesthesist Vol. 58; no. 7; p. 716
• Main Authors: Weiss, M, Mauch, J, Becke, K, Schmidt, J, Jöhr, M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: German
• Published: Germany 01.07.2009
• Subjects: Anesthesia, Inhalation; Catheterization; Child; Child, Preschool; Humans; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Intubation, Intratracheal - instrumentation; Intubation, Intratracheal - methods; Laryngeal Masks; Optical Fibers
• ISSN: 1432-055X
• DOI: 10.1007/s00101-009-1573-5

Fibre optic-assisted tracheal intubation through the laryngeal mask airway is a simple and safe procedure for securing the airway in the paediatric patient with unexpected and known difficult tracheal intubation. Therefore, fibre optic-assisted tracheal intubation through the laryngeal mask airway represents a standard airway technique and must be part of clinical education and also regular training. However, the removal of the laryngeal mask airway over the tracheal tube is impaired by the short length of the tracheal tube, easily resulting in tube dislocation from the trachea. Among several techniques to overcome this problem, the Cook airway exchange catheter offers a reliable method not only for safe removal of the laryngeal mask over the tracheal tube but also for insertion of an adequate tracheal tube, particularly in paediatric patients. This is particularly important for cuffed tubes as the pilot balloon of the cuffed tube is too large to pass through laryngeal mask airway tubes size 2.5 and smaller. This presentation demonstrates fibre optic-assisted tracheal intubation through the laryngeal mask airway in children step-by-step and discusses its clinical implications. A list with compatible sizes of laryngeal mask airways, tracheal tubes and airway exchange catheters is also provided.