Abstract
Over the last 45 years flexible bronchoscopy has become the “gold standard” for managing the expected and unexpected difficult airway [1, 2]. Unlike rigid laryngoscopy, intubation using a flexible bronchoscope does not require that an unobstructed straight view from the upper incisors to the larynx be created for intubation. Thus, patients with limited oral apertures, a mobile cervical spine, upper airway abnormalities (tumors, lingual tonsils, etc.), and redundant pharyngeal tissue are some of the classes of difficult airways that are better managed with fiberoptic intubations than with classic direct laryngoscopy.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Ovassapian A, Dykes MHM. The role of fiberoptic endoscopy in airway management. Semin Anesth. 1987;6:93.
Heidegger T. Fiberoptic intubation. N Engl J Med. 2011;364:e42.
Murphy P. A fibre-optic endoscope used for nasal intubation. Anaesthesia. 1967;22:489–91.
Lee SC. Improvement of gas exchange by apneic oxygenation with nasal prong during fiberoptic intubation in fully relaxed patients. J Korean Med Sci. 1998;13:582–6.
Davis NJ. A new fiberoptic laryngoscope for nasal intubation. Anesth Analg. 1973;52:807–8.
Johnson C, Hunter J, Ho E, Bruff C. Fiberoptic intubation facilitated by a rigid laryngoscope. Anesth Analg. 1991;72:714.
Lechman MJ, Donahoo JS, MacVaugh III H. Endotracheal intubation using percutaneous retrograde guidewire insertion followed by antegrade fiberoptic bronchoscopy. Crit Care Med. 1986;14:589–90.
Benumof JL. Use of the laryngeal mask airway to facilitate fiberscope-aided tracheal intubation. Anesth Analg. 1992;74:313–5.
Chadd GD, Walford AJ, Crane DL. The 3.5/4.5 modification for fiberscope-guided tracheal intubation using the laryngeal mask airway. Anesth Analg. 1992;75:307–8.
Prakash PS, Pandia MP. A complication associated with the use of a drug injection catheter through a fiberscope. Anesthesiology. 2008;108:173.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2013 Springer Science+Business Media New York
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Glick, D.B. (2013). The Role of Flexible Bronchoscopy. In: Glick, D., Cooper, R., Ovassapian, A. (eds) The Difficult Airway. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-92849-4_8
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-92849-4_8
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY
Print ISBN: 978-0-387-92848-7
Online ISBN: 978-0-387-92849-4
eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)