Fiberoptic bronchoscopy versus video laryngoscopy guided intubation in patients with craniovertebral junction instability: A cinefluroscopic comparison

A Rare Neurological Presentation of Noonan Syndrome and Its Management-A Case Report

Although Noonan syndrome is a relatively common congenital disorder with autosomal dominant inheritance, its association with cerebrovascular anomalies is rare. We report a case of a 20-year-old with Noonan syndrome with cerebrovascular aneurysm, who underwent successful endovascular coiling. Only four cases of cerebrovascular aneurysms in Noonan syndrome have been reported in the literature so far. To the best of our knowledge, this is only the fifth reported case and the first one that has been treated successfully with endovascular coiling. We hereby discuss the management of this case, which had several comorbidities like congenital heart disease and craniovertebral junction anomaly.

The Use of the Shikani Video-Assisted Intubating Stylet Technique in Patients with Restricted Neck Mobility

Among all the proposed predictors of difficult intubation defined by the intubation difficulty scale, head and neck movement (motility) stands out and plays as a crucial factor in determining the success rate and the degree of ease on endotracheal intubation. Aside from other airway tools (e.g., supraglottic airway devices), optical devices have been developed and applied for more than two decades and have shown their superiority to conventional direct laryngoscopes in many clinical scenarios and settings. Although awake/asleep flexible fiberoptic bronchoscopy is still the gold standard in patients with unstable cervical spines immobilized with a rigid cervical collar or a halo neck brace, videolaryngoscopy has been repeatedly demonstrated to be advantageous. In this brief report, for the first time, we present our clinical experience on the routine use of the Shikani video-assisted intubating stylet technique in patients with traumatic cervical spine injuries immobilized with a cervical stabilizer and in a patient with a stereotactic headframe for neurosurgery. Some trouble-shooting strategies for this technique are discussed. This paper demonstrates that the video-assisted intubating stylet technique is an acceptable alternative airway management method in patients with restricted or confined neck motility.

Airway management in the adult patient with an unstable cervical spine

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

The ideal airway management of patients with unstable spinal injury presents a perennial challenge for anaesthesiologists. With competing interests, potentially catastrophic complications, and a scarcity of evidence to support common practices, it is an area rich with dogma and devoid of data. This review seeks to highlight recent evidence that improves our assurance that what we do to manage the airway in the unstable cervical spine is supported by data.

RECENT FINDINGS

The increasing range of available technology for intubation provides important opportunities to investigate the superiority (or otherwise) of various techniques - and a chance to challenge accepted practice. Long-held assumptions regarding spinal immobilisation in the context of airway management may require refinement as a true base of evidence develops.

SUMMARY

Video laryngoscopy may replace direct laryngoscopy as the default technique for endotracheal intubation in patients with suspected or confirmed spinal instability. Immobilisation of the unstable cervical spine, manually or with rigid cervical collars, is increasingly controversial. It may be that hard collars are used in specific circumstances, rather than as universal precaution in the future.There are no recent data of significantly high quality to warrant wholesale changes to recommended airway management practice and in the absence of new information, limiting movement (in the suspected or confirmed unstable cervical spine) remains the mainstay of clinical practice advice.