TITLE:
Reinke’s Oedema Presenting as Stridor: Implications for Otolaryngologists in Difficult Airway
AUTHORS:
Atta Mohyuddin, Gurpeet Sandhu
KEYWORDS:
Reinke’s Oedema, Stridor, Difficult Airway and Micro Laryngeal Surgery
JOURNAL NAME:
International Journal of Otolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery,
Vol.6 No.2,
February
24,
2017
ABSTRACT: We demonstrated the importance of managing a patient who presented with stridor due to severe Reinke’s oedema. The concept of managing difficult airway has thus been introduced for the otolaryngologists according to a plan of action as described by the American Society of Anaesthesiologist’s difficult airway algorithm. Methods: A case report of interest and review of literature. PubMed search with keywords of difficult airway, stridor, awake intubation and Reinke’s oedema was used. Result: Management of an anticipated difficult airway with awake fiberoptic intubation with backup strategies of direct laryngoscopies with Eshmann stylet and awake invasive intubation is highlighted. Conclusion: This case report demonstrated a definitive strategy of securing a difficult airway with obstruction at the glottis and highlighted the role of teamwork between otolaryngologist and anaesthesiologist to secure difficult airway.