Kyphoscoliosis and difficult airway management

Abstract

Kyphoscoliosis is generally idiopathic and female dominant disease and the prevalence can vary between 0.3-15.3%. Anesthesia for both adult and pediatric patients with scoliosis can present a variety of challenges, because of some other diseases accompany to scoliosis. One of challenges is airway management. Problems with airway management may be fatal for patients. Basic preparations should be ready for airway management in a situation of unanticipated difficult airway. Besides there should be more than one plan and practitioners. If a strategy fails one should quickly change to another approach. Appropriate equipment beginning from laryngoscopes to a cricothyroid puncture kit should be available regarding practitioner’s experience on devices. Extubation of a patient with difficult airway is important as tracheal intubation. Low reintubation rates and patient comfort are the most important issues for the extubation of patients with difficult airway.