Lingual Tonsil Hypertrophy: rescuing the airway with videolaryngoscopy

Fouad Ghazi Souki; Shweta Rahul Yemul-Golhar; Yosaf Zeyed; Ernesto A Pretto Jr

doi:10.1016/j.jclinane.2016.06.007

Lingual Tonsil Hypertrophy: rescuing the airway with videolaryngoscopy

J Clin Anesth. 2016 Dec:35:242-245. doi: 10.1016/j.jclinane.2016.06.007. Epub 2016 Sep 28.

Authors

Fouad Ghazi Souki¹, Shweta Rahul Yemul-Golhar², Yosaf Zeyed³, Ernesto A Pretto Jr⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Anesthesiology, Division of Transplantation, University of Miami/Jackson Health System, Miami, FL, USA. Electronic address: [email protected].
² Department of Anesthesiology, University of Miami/Jackson Health System, Miami, FL, USA. Electronic address: [email protected].
³ Department of Anesthesiology, University of Miami/Jackson Health System, Miami, FL, USA. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁴ Department of Anesthesiology, Division of Transplantation, University of Miami/Jackson Health System, Miami, FL, USA. Electronic address: [email protected].

PMID: 27871535
DOI: 10.1016/j.jclinane.2016.06.007

Abstract

Lingual tonsils are lymphatic tissues located at the base of the tongue that may hypertrophy causing difficulty and sometimes inability to ventilate or intubate during anesthesia. Routine airway assessment fails to diagnose lingual tonsil hypertrophy. There is limited experience with use of videolaryngoscopy in cases of lingual tonsil hypertrophy. We present a case of difficult airway due to unanticipated lingual tonsil hypertrophy successfully managed by atypical video laryngoscope positioning.

Keywords: GlideScope; Lingual tonsil hypertrophy; Video laryngoscope.

Publication types

Case Reports

MeSH terms

Adenoids / pathology*
Anesthesia, General / methods
Female
Humans
Hypertrophy / complications*
Incisional Hernia / surgery*
Intubation, Intratracheal / instrumentation*
Intubation, Intratracheal / methods*
Laryngoscopes
Laryngoscopy
Middle Aged
Tongue / pathology