Difficult airway and difficult intubation in postintubation tracheal stenosis: a case report and literature review

Abstract

Management of a “difficult airway” remains one of the most relevant and challenging tasks for anesthesiologists and pulmonary physicians. Several conditions, such as inflammation, trauma, tumor, and immunologic and metabolic diseases, are considered responsible for the difficult intubation of a critically ill patient. In this case report we present the case of a 46-year-old male with postintubation tracheal stenosis. We will focus on the method of intubation used, since the patient had a “difficult airway” and had to be intubated immediately because he was in a life-threatening situation. Although technology is of utter importance, clinical examination and history-taking remain invaluable for the appropriate evaluation of the critically ill patient in everyday medical life. Every physician who will be required to perform intubation has to be familiar with the evaluation of the difficult airway and, in the event of the unanticipated difficult airway, to be able to use a wide variety of tools and techniques to avoid complications and fatality.