Open AccessRegional anesthesia in difficult airway: The quest for a solution continues
Author(s) -
Ranjana Khetarpal,
Veena Chatrath,
Akshay Dhawan,
Joginder Pal Attri
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
al-banǧ. maqālāt wa abḥāṯ fī al-taẖdīr wa-al-in’āš
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 0259-1162
DOI - 10.4103/0259-1162.167829
Subject(s) - medicine , airway , anesthesia , intubation , anesthetic , neuraxial blockade , intensive care medicine , spinal anesthesia
Difficult airway, a scenario with potentially life threatening outcome, is routinely encountered by an anesthesiologist leaving him with the dilemma of whether to use regional anesthesia (RA) or general anesthesia. Our study aims to look into this problem. The literature search was performed in the Google, PubMed, and Medscape using key words "regional anesthesia, difficult airway, pregnancy, ventilation, intubation, epidural anesthesia, nerve blocks." More than 38 free full articles and books published from the year 1987 to 2014 were retrieved and studied. At first sight, RA may appear to offer an ideal solution as it helps to avoid the problem of difficult airway. However, the possibility of a total spinal block, failed or incomplete RA, local anesthetic toxicity or unforeseen surgical complication may make it imperative that the airway is secured. The correct decision can only be made by the anesthetist when all the relevant clinical information is taken into account. It is also important to ensure that before considering RA in a patient of difficult airway, an anesthesiologist must have a preformulated strategy for intubation.