Modified lightwand intubation in a child with spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenita

Abstract

This is the case report on a 1-year 9-month-old boy suffering from spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenita who was successfully intubated with our modified lightwand intubation procedure for general anesthesia to undergo bilateral herniorrhaphy despite the great likelihood of facing a difficult airway because of unstable cervical spine. We bent the pediatric wand after it was encased in an endotracheal (ET) tube of appropriate diameter. The light tip of the wand was let to protrude just out of the bevel of the ET tube. Once the light bulb properly transilluminated the trachea, the ET tube was threaded gently into the trachea. The patient recovered from anesthesia smoothly and was discharged on the next day. This maneuver can facilitate both visual and tactile confirmations of the position and proper tube size. The effectiveness and safety of our modified lightwand intubation procedure is well demonstrated.