In patients with intratracheal tumors, airway management while maintaining oxygenation and providing surgical access to the airway can be challenging. Here, we present a case of a two-stage operation to remove an intratracheal tumor causing partial obstruction near the carina. In the otorhinolaryngology department, a biopsy was performed during apnea under high-flow nasal oxygenation support. A few days later, a thoracic surgeon performed tracheal resection after sternotomy under general anesthesia. Mechanical ventilation was performed by inserting a sterile endotracheal tube in the resected distal part of the trachea in the surgical field for tracheal end-to-end anastomosis. Airway was successfully secured through close communication between teams of anesthesiologists and surgeons.
Keywords: Apneic oxygenation; difficult airway; high-flow nasal oxygenation; laryngeal microsurgery; oxygen reserve index; tracheal tumors.
© The Author(s) 2021.