Case Report

Pediatric difficult airway management: Key strategies and case insights

Volume: 42 Number: 2 June 30, 2025

Pediatric difficult airway management: Key strategies and case insights

Abstract

Pediatric difficult airway management poses significant challenges due to unique anatomical and physiological features, particularly in neonates and infants. We reported the case of a 3-month-old, 5200-gram male infant with dysmorphic features, including anencephaly, macrocephaly, microphthalmia, micrognathia, and nasal anomaly, who underwent ventriculoperitoneal shunt surgery. Following preoxygenation and induction with inhalation anesthesia and 4 mg/kg IV propofol, successful intubation was achieved using video laryngoscopy with a size 3.0 endotracheal tube. The surgery was completed without complications, and the patient was safely extubated in the intensive care unit. This case underscores the importance of individualized strategies and proficiency with video laryngoscopy for the safe and effective management of pediatric difficult airways.

Keywords

Supporting Institution

None.

Ethical Statement

Ethic commitee approval is not required for this study.

References

  1. Pawar DK, Doctor JR, Raveendra US, Ramesh S, Shetty SR, Divatia JV, et al. All India Difficult Airway Association 2016 guidelines for the management of unanticipated difficult tracheal intubation in Paediatrics. Indian J Anaesth. 2016 Dec;60(12):906-14.
  2. Jagannathan N, Burjek N, Rowland M, Sun LS. Management of the difficult airway for pediatric anesthesia. UpToDate; 2020.
  3. Whitten CE. 10 Common Pediatric Airway Problems—And Their Solutions. August; 2019.
  4. Heninger J, Phillips M, Huang A, Jagannathan N. Management of the Difficult Pediatric Airway. Current Anesthesiology Reports. 2020;10:361-9.
  5. Klučka J, Štourač P, Štoudek R, Ťoukálková M, Harazim H, Kosinová M. Controversies in pediatric perioperative airways. BioMed research international. 2015;2015(1):368761.
  6. Lingappan, Krithika, et al. "Videolaryngoscopy versus direct laryngoscopy for tracheal intubation in neonates." Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 5, 2023.
  7. Park, R., et al. "The efficacy of GlideScope® videolaryngoscopy compared with direct laryngoscopy in children who are difficult to intubate: an analysis from the paediatric difficult intubation registry." BJA: British Journal of Anaesthesia 119.5 (2017): 984-992.
  8. Burjek, Nicholas E., et al. "Videolaryngoscopy versus fiber-optic intubation through a supraglottic airway in children with a difficult airway: an analysis from the Multicenter Pediatric Difficult Intubation Registry." Anesthesiology 127.3 (2017): 432-440.

Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Anaesthesiology

Journal Section

Case Report

Publication Date

June 30, 2025

Submission Date

January 3, 2025

Acceptance Date

June 30, 2025

Published in Issue

Year 2025 Volume: 42 Number: 2

APA
Sarikaya Ozel, E., Kaya, C., & Dost, B. (2025). Pediatric difficult airway management: Key strategies and case insights. Deneysel Ve Klinik Tıp Dergisi, 42(2), 231-233. https://izlik.org/JA32HN26FK
AMA
1.Sarikaya Ozel E, Kaya C, Dost B. Pediatric difficult airway management: Key strategies and case insights. J. Exp. Clin. Med. 2025;42(2):231-233. https://izlik.org/JA32HN26FK
Chicago
Sarikaya Ozel, Elif, Cengiz Kaya, and Burhan Dost. 2025. “Pediatric Difficult Airway Management: Key Strategies and Case Insights”. Deneysel Ve Klinik Tıp Dergisi 42 (2): 231-33. https://izlik.org/JA32HN26FK.
EndNote
Sarikaya Ozel E, Kaya C, Dost B (June 1, 2025) Pediatric difficult airway management: Key strategies and case insights. Deneysel ve Klinik Tıp Dergisi 42 2 231–233.
IEEE
[1]E. Sarikaya Ozel, C. Kaya, and B. Dost, “Pediatric difficult airway management: Key strategies and case insights”, J. Exp. Clin. Med., vol. 42, no. 2, pp. 231–233, June 2025, [Online]. Available: https://izlik.org/JA32HN26FK
ISNAD
Sarikaya Ozel, Elif - Kaya, Cengiz - Dost, Burhan. “Pediatric Difficult Airway Management: Key Strategies and Case Insights”. Deneysel ve Klinik Tıp Dergisi 42/2 (June 1, 2025): 231-233. https://izlik.org/JA32HN26FK.
JAMA
1.Sarikaya Ozel E, Kaya C, Dost B. Pediatric difficult airway management: Key strategies and case insights. J. Exp. Clin. Med. 2025;42:231–233.
MLA
Sarikaya Ozel, Elif, et al. “Pediatric Difficult Airway Management: Key Strategies and Case Insights”. Deneysel Ve Klinik Tıp Dergisi, vol. 42, no. 2, June 2025, pp. 231-3, https://izlik.org/JA32HN26FK.
Vancouver
1.Elif Sarikaya Ozel, Cengiz Kaya, Burhan Dost. Pediatric difficult airway management: Key strategies and case insights. J. Exp. Clin. Med. [Internet]. 2025 Jun. 1;42(2):231-3. Available from: https://izlik.org/JA32HN26FK