Awake tracheal intubation in a suspected COVID-19 patient with critical airway obstruction.
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ABSTRACT: We report the airway management of a patient with suspected COVID-19 with impending airway obstruction requiring urgent surgical tracheostomy. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of an awake tracheal intubation in a suspected COVID-19-positive patient. Various modifications were put in place during the awake tracheal intubation and surgical tracheostomy procedures to minimise aerosol generation from the patient, such as avoiding high-flow nasal oxygen, establishing conscious sedation with remifentanil before commencing airway topicalisation and avoiding transtracheal local anaesthetic infiltration. A multidisciplinary team discussion before performing the case highlighted aspects of both the airway management and the surgical procedure where particular care and modifications are required. There is a lack of national and international guidance for awake tracheal intubation and tracheostomy in COVID-19 cases. This report nevertheless addresses the key procedural modifications required.
SUBMITTER: Ahmad I
PROVIDER: S-EPMC7197305 | biostudies-literature |
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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