Management of difficult airways with a laryngeal mask airway under propofol anaesthesia

We report four cases of difficult airway managed with a laryngeal mask airw ay (LMA) under propofol anaesthesia; this method was chosen to minimize psy chological and physical trauma. Case 1 was a boy with dermatomyositis; Case 2, a girl wearing a base ring of a stereotactic frame; Case 3, a boy with Treacher-Collins syndrome; Case 4, a boy with Goldenhar syndrome. They were anaesthesized with propofol and though spontaneous ventilation became shal lower, or apnoea occurred, the stimulus of inserting an LMA awakened the pa tient and caused more active spontaneous ventilation while a patent airway was established by the LMA. All tracheal intubations were performed smoothl y and without delay through the LMA, and we believe that psychological and physical trauma was thus minimized.