In the event of a high degree of airway obstruction, endotracheal intubation can be impossible and even dangerous, because it can cause complete airway obstruction, especially in patients with high tracheal lesions. However, a smaller endotracheal tube under the guidance of a bronchoscope can be insinuated past obstructive tumor in most noncircumferential cases. Here we report a case of successful fiberoptic bronchoscopy-assisted endotracheal intubation in a patient undergoing surgical resection of a large, high tracheal tumor causing severe tracheal stenosis. A 42-year-old Chinese man presented with dyspnea, intermittent irritable cough, and sleep deprivation for one and a half years. X-rays and computed tomography scan of the chest revealed an irregular pedunculated soft tissue mass within the tracheal lumen. The mass occupied over 90% of the lumen and caused severe tracheal stenosis. Endotracheal intubation was done to perform tracheal tumor resection under general anesthesia. After several failed conventional endotracheal intubation attempts, fiberoptic bronchoscopy-assisted intubation was successful. The patient received mechanical ventilation and then underwent tumor resection and a permanent tracheostomy. This case provides evidence of the usefulness of the fiberoptic bronchoscopy-assisted intubation technique in management of an anticipated difficult airway and suggests that tracheal intubation can be performed directly in patients with a tracheal tumor who can sleep in the supine position, even if they have occasional sleep deprivation and severe tracheal obstruction as revealed by imaging techniques.
Application of periareolar mastopexy technique for giant phyllodes tumor resection in an adolescent female with breast asymmetry: a case report and literature review