This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a colleague Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in Web of Science Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Kidani, D. C. H. Articles by Shah, N. K. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Kidani, D. C. H. Articles by Shah, N. K. Related Collections Airway General

---

GENERAL ARTICLES

The Use of a Laryngeal Mask Airway After a Prolonged Suspension Laryngoscopy to Preserve a Vocal Cord Fat Graft

From the Department of Anesthesiology, University of California Irvine Medical Center, California.

Address correspondence and reprint requests to Daniel C. H. Kidani, MD, UC Irvine Medical Center, 101 The City Drive South, Bldg. 53 Rm. 228 Rt. 81A, Orange, CA 92868. Address e-mail to dkidani{at}yahoo.com.

A 62-yr-old man presented for a microdirect laryngoscopy and vocal cord fat grafting under jet ventilation. After a prolonged laryngoscopy, the patient developed hypercapnea and upper airway obstruction secondary to traumatic epiglottitis. The placement of a laryngeal mask airway provided ventilation and allowed for direct visualization of the patient’s inflamed epiglottis without disruption of the patient’s fat graft. Because of its placement above the cords and its effectiveness in providing adequate ventilation, we propose intermittent laryngeal mask airway ventilation as a bridge, in lieu of endotracheal intubation, in microdirect laryngoscopy cases in which ventilation during emergence may be difficult and the insertion of an endotracheal tube would disrupt the surgical procedure.