Use of the intubating laryngeal mask airway to facilitate awake orotracheal intubation in patients with cervical spine disorders

Airway management in patients with unstable cervical spines remains a chall enge for anesthesia providers. Because neurologic evaluations may be requir ed following tracheal intubation and positioning fur the surgical procedure , an awake intubation technique is desirable in this patient population. In this report, we describe the use of an intubating laryngeal mask airway (I LMA) to facilitate awake tracheal intubation in two patients with cervical spine disorders. After topical local analgesia, the ILMA was inserted easil y, and a tracheal tube was passed through the glottic opening without compl ications. Thus, the ILMA may be an acceptable alternative to the fiberoptic bronchoscope for awake tracheal intubation. (C) 1999 by Elsevier Science I nc.