Conversion of an oral to nasal intubation in difficult nasal anatomy patients: two case reports

Background Nasal intubation is indispensable for some cases that require intraoral surgical access, and the fiberoptic bronchoscope is the best tool for difficult airways. However, fiberoptic bronchoscopy is not always possible in cases with altered pharyngeal anatomy. Case presentation In this report, we introduce a novel technique for retrograde endotracheal oral-to-nasal conversion with an ordinary endotracheal tube exchange catheter. A 49-year-old male with a fractured mandible angle and symphysis was scheduled to undergo mandible reconstruction. Secondly, a 45-year-old male who had a bone defect in the mandible angle and ramus was scheduled for mandible and oral cavity reconstruction. We chose to intubate orally first and successfully converted the endotracheal tube from oral to nasal retrogressively using a tube exchange catheter. Conclusions Our simple and safe technique, which use a tube exchange catheter retrogressively, provides an alternative method for a difficult airway in which the fiberscope is not helpful.

Hypoxic Respiratory Failure Further Complicated During Airway Exchange Catheter Placement

IntroductionAn airway exchange catheter is a hollow-lumen tube able to deliver oxygen and maintain access to a difficult endotracheal airway. This case report demonstrates an undocumented complication associated with an airway exchange catheter and jet ventilation, particularly in a patient with reduced airway diameter due to thick endotracheal secretions. Due to the frequent use of airway exchange catheters in the intensive care unit, this report highlights an adverse event of bilateral pneumothoraces that can be encountered by clinicians.Case PresentationThis case report describes a 24-year-old female with severe adult respiratory distress syndrome and thick endotra-cheal secretions whose hospital course was complicated by bilateral pneumothoraces resulting from the use of an airway exchange catheter connected to jet ventilation. During the exchange, the catheter occluded the narrowed endotracheal tube to create a one-way valve that led to excessive lung inflation.ConclusionAirway exchange catheters used with jet ventilation in a patient with a narrowed endotracheal tube and reduced lung compliance have the potential risk of causing a pneumothorax. Clinicians should avoid temporary concomitant oxygenation via jet ventilation in patients with these findings and reserve the use of airway exchange catheters for difficult airways.

Bougie through Murphy’s Eye During Airway Exchange: A Near Miss

Endotracheal tube (ETT) exchange is a common procedure performed in the operating room and intensive care unit for the purpose of changing damaged or soiled ETT with appropriate one. The exchange procedure is performed over an airway exchange catheter or ETT introducer (bougie). We report an event during ETT exchange over bougie wherein the introducer exited through Murphy’s eye. Here, we intend to re-emphasize the safety concerns pertaining to the use of bougie (with coude tip) as airway exchange conduit and enumerate the precautions to be taken during tube exchange.