Lightwand-assisted nasotracheal intubation in awake ankylosing spondylitis.

ABSTRACT

Several techniques of airway management in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) have been reported. No study related specifically to the use of a lightwand-assisted intubation in AS has been previously described. The present case report demonstrates that an awake, nasotracheal intubation can be successfully performed to provide general anesthesia in a patient with AS. A 65-year-old Thai male was scheduled for exploratory surgery under general anesthesia. Past medical history consisted of hypertension and AS. The preoperative airway assessment showed limitation of mouth opening, an extremely anteriorly flexed and immobile cervical spine. An awake intubation under sedation and topical airway anesthesia were chosen. Multiple attempts at blind nasotracheal intubation and oral approach with lightwand were unsuccessful. Finally, intubation was successfully performed with lightwand by nasal route. This serves to show that an awake nasotracheal intubation with a lightwand may be a safe and useful alternative option for airway management in patients with severe ankylosing spondylitis.