ANESTHETIC MANAGEMENT OF THE PATIENT SCHEDULED FOR HEAD AND NECK-CANCER SURGERY

For the patient scheduled for head and neck cancer surgery, careful as sessment of the airway demonstrates the most appropriate course of act ion for securing the airway before surgery begins. Often the patient m ay be anesthetized safely before intubation of the trachea. The patien t may require an awake examination of the airway under sedation and to pical analgesia or an awake fiberoptic intubation before the induction of general anesthesia. To secure the airway in some patients, a trach eostomy may be needed. After the operation, extubation of the trachea requires careful attention and may be even more of a challenge than th e original intubation. Current principles and techniques for the anest hetic management of the patient undergoing head and neck cancer surger y are reviewed. Emphasis is placed on avoiding the airway problems ass ociated with this kind of surgery.