EMERGENCY INTUBATION WITH THE COMBITUBE(TM) IN A GROSSLY OBESE PATIENT WITH BULL NECK

A grossly obese patient with bull neck required immediate intubation. Endotracheal intubation failed because visualization of the vocal cord s was not possible. As an alternative, the Combitube(TM) was inserted without difficulty and the patients lungs were ventilated via the Comb itube until tracheotomy was performed on the following day. The patien t survived and was discharged alive from the hospital 5 weeks later. T he Combitube has gained worldwide interest and is now included in the Guidelines of the American Heart Association and the American Society of Anesthesiologists.