Abstract

LOPEZ RABASSA, Sahily Irene; DIAZ MEDIONDO, Miosotis; DIEZ SANCHEZ, Yanelys  and  SANTOS GONZALEZ RODRIGUEZ, Gonzalo. Approaching airways in oncology surgery of the head and neck. Rev cuba anestesiol reanim [online]. 2013, vol.12, n.2, pp.139-150. ISSN 1726-6718.

Background: the airways in an oncology patient behaves like a known difficult airway in which the incidence increases as well as morbimortality because of the own conditions of the patient, his basic disease and adjuvant treatments. Objective: to identify the incidence of difficult airway in the oncology patient that undergoes surgical procedure of in the head and neck. Methods: a descriptive prospective study was conducted in "María Curie" Oncology Teaching Provincial Hospital during the period from January 2010 to December 2010. The sample included 210 patients studied with the purpose of identifying morbimortality of the difficult airway in Oncology Surgery of the head and neck in our institution. Results: the great majority of patients were between ASA II and ASA III. Obesity, tumors of the airway, and a history of radiotherapy influenced the appearance of a difficult airway. There was a low incidence of difficult ventilation (3, 3 %), failed intubations (0, 4 %), in relation to difficult laryngoscopy (26, 2 %) and difficult intubations (30.9 %). Coexistence of both existed between them. The most used strategy was asleep intubation, maintenance of spontaneous ventilation and non-invasive techniques. The classic laryngeal mask, the laryngeal mask for intubations or Fastrach, and Eschmann guide were the most commonly used alternative methods. There were no complications. Conclusions: the adequate prognosis and strategy for approaching the difficult airway increases survival rates in patients treated by oncologic surgical procedures of the head and neck.

Keywords : difficult airway; oncology surgery of the head and neck; complications.

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