• The Journal of Korea Assosiation for Disability and Oral Health
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.88-91
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• 2008

A female patient (14 years-old) with mental retardation was scheduled for ambulatory general anesthesia to treat peri-apical abscess and multiple dental caries. She had got cleft palate plasty at 5 years, but there was no past history of difficulty airway during general anesthesia or airway obstruction. Following induction of anesthesia using an inhalational anesthetic technique, conventional naso-tracheal intubation was tried. However, with conventional intubation technique we could not insert tube. And following several trial of intubation with laryngoscope, she developed an upper airway obstruction. Her lungs could not be ventilated using a facial mask and oxygen saturation was decreased. A #3 laryngeal mask airway (LMA) was inserted immediately, which allowed us to ventilate her lungs and restore the oxygen saturation. And dental treatment was carried out under LMA insertion successfully.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.232-236
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• 2022

A ranula is a pseudocyst that originates from the sublingual gland after trauma. Acute cases of ranulas that progress rapidly and cause respiratory distress are rare. Holoprosencephaly is a complex brain malformation caused by incomplete cleavage of the prosencephalon. Children with holoprosencephaly may experience upper airway obstruction due to the associated dentoalveolar malformations and oromotor dysfunctions. We present the case of an eight-year-old female patient with holoprosencephaly and a plunging ranula that manifested as an acute course due to difficult airway management. She required gastrostomy for oromotor dysfunctions related to feeding and swallowing and difficulty managing oral secretions. The sublingual gland and ranula were removed under general anesthesia. Postoperatively, urgent reintubation and close monitoring in the intensive care unit were required due to upper airway obstruction. We successfully managed the patient with close cooperation of a pediatrician and an anesthetist, and no recurrence was observed at the one-year follow-up. A ranula can be caused by trauma to the floor of the mouth in association with lingually inclined mandibular teeth, a type of dentoalveolar compensation seen in maxillary hypoplasia associated with holoprosencephaly. Careful consideration is needed in such cases since airway management can be difficult due to postoperative swelling and oromotor dysfunctions.

• Journal of Dental Anesthesia and Pain Medicine
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.125-128
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• 2018

In cases of a difficult intubation where numerous intubation methods, including laryngoscopy, have failed, yet oral intubation is still necessary, the method of tube exchange after fiberoptic nasal intubation may be attempted. Fiberoptic nasal intubation allows intubation to be performed relatively easily when the laryngeal view grade is poor. We report a case in which our attempt at oral intubation for total maxillectomy with laryngoscopy and fiberoptic oral intubation had failed due to an unexpected difficult airway; subsequently, we successfully completed the surgery by performing fiberoptic nasal intubation to secure the airway, followed by using a tube exchanger to exchange to an oral endotracheal tube.

• Journal of the Korea Society of Computer and Information
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• v.25 no.12
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• pp.227-233
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• 2020

The purpose of this study is to compare the speed, confidence, and ease of endotracheal intubation in a difficult posture by using the SALT(Supraglottic Airway Laryngopharyngeal Tube), and a direct laryngoscope to improve the ability to implement professional airway management. The subject of the study was an experimental study by a randomized crossover design, targeting 30 first-class emergency medical technicians working in J-do fire station, and the SPSS 20.0 version was used for data analysis. The endotracheal intubation by using SALT showed a significant difference in speed compared to endotracheal intubation by using a direct laryngoscope(p<.001), and also showed a significant difference in confidence and ease(p<.001). If it is difficult to endotracheal intubation by direct laryngoscope, or in the case of trauma patients, if SALT is used, safe and rapid intubation will be possible. In addition, to improve the efficiency of professional airway management, it is believed that the introduction of SALT in domestic sites is necessary.

• Journal of Dental Anesthesia and Pain Medicine
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.349-356
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• 2022

Background: Awake fiberoptic intubation (AFOI) is the procedure of choice for securing the airway in patients with a difficult airway when undergoing surgeries under general anesthesia. An ideal drug would not only provide conscious sedation but also maintain spontaneous ventilation, smooth intubation conditions, and stable hemodynamics. We compared the effects of dexmedetomidine alone and dexmedetomidine in combination with fentanyl at a dose lower than the standard dose for achieving conscious sedation during AFOI in difficult airway patients undergoing oral cancer and dental surgeries. Methods: We included 68 adult patients undergoing AFOI. The patients were randomized in two groups, wherein Group D received intravenous dexmedetomidine 1 ㎍/kg and Group DF received dexmedetomidine 0.5 ㎍/kg and fentanyl 1 ㎍/kg. The outcomes measured were airway obstruction score, intubation scores, fiberoptic intubation comfort score, sedation score, and hemodynamic variables. Results: Low-dose dexmedetomidine with fentanyl showed similar results as those with the standard dose of dexmedetomidine in terms of airway obstruction, vocal cord movement, degree of cough, degree of limb movements, and intubation comfort. However, the sedation achieved and incidence of hypotension and bradycardia were higher in Group D than in Group DF. Conclusions: A low dose of dexmedetomidine-fentanyl provides satisfactory intubation conditions as those with a standard dose of dexmedetomidine in AFOI, thereby avoiding bradycardia, hypotension, and sedation.

• Journal of Dental Anesthesia and Pain Medicine
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.317-320
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• 2016

A 47-year-old woman was referred for surgical treatment of osteomyelitis of the mandible. She had already undergone three previous surgeries. Pre-anesthetic airway evaluation predicted a difficult airway, due to the thin, retro-positioned mandible, tongue, and atrophic changes in the lips and soft tissue. We inserted packing gauzes in the buccal mucosa for easier mask fitting and ventilation. During direct laryngoscopic intubation with a nasotracheal tube (NTT), fracture of a thin mandible can easily occur. Therefore, we used a fiberoptic bronchoscope to insert the NTT. After surgery, we performed a tongue-tie to protect against airway obstruction caused by the backward movement of the tongue during recovery. The patient recovered without any complications. We determined the status of the patient precisely and consequently performed thorough preparations for the surgery, allowing the patient to be anesthetized safely and recover after surgery. Careful assessment of the patient and airway prior to surgery is necessary.

• Journal of Dental Anesthesia and Pain Medicine
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.61-64
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• 2017

Nasotracheal intubation is generally a useful maxillofacial surgery that provides good surgical access for intraoral procedures. When nasotracheal intubation is difficult, laryngeal mask airway (LMA) insertion can be performed, and the flexible $LMA^{TM}$ (FLMA) is also useful for anesthetic management. However, the FLMA provides limited access to the mouth, which restricts the insertion of instrumentation and confines the surgical field available. Here, we present our experience using the FLMA airway management for dental treatment cases involving difficulty with intubation.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.416-420
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• 2023

Blunt intrathoracic tracheal injuries are rare, even among blunt chest trauma patients. An early diagnosis based on a high index of suspicion allows for timely surgical management of potentially fatal airway trauma, thereby improving overall outcomes. Diagnosing these injuries can be difficult due to their nonspecific clinical features and the occasional difficulty in radiologic diagnosis. If a patient exhibits respiratory compromise with difficult ventilation and poor lung expansion, despite the insertion and management of an intercostal drain following high-energy blunt trauma, there should be a heightened suspicion of potential airway trauma. The aim of primary repair is to restore airway integrity and to minimize the loss of pulmonary parenchyma function. This case report discusses the rare clinical presentation of a patient with blunt trauma to the intrathoracic airway, the surgical management thereof, and his overall outcome. Although blunt traumatic injuries of the trachea are extremely rare and often fatal, early surgical intervention can potentially reduce the risk of mortality.

• Journal of Dental Anesthesia and Pain Medicine
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.49-53
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• 2020

Cri-du-chat syndrome (CdCS) is caused by the deletion of the short arm of chromosome 5. Most patients with CdCS develop intellectual disabilities. Therefore, they have poor oral hygiene and a high caries index. However, treating such patients is not an easy task, because of the difficulty in communication. General anesthesia may be a useful option in adult patients with CdCS and intellectual disability. General anesthesia should be administered very carefully, owing to the presence of comorbid diseases, which may need airway management. Infants with CdCS need general anesthesia if they have a concomitant cardiac anomaly. Intubation is reportedly difficult for such patients was, owing to the structural and functional abnormalities in the larynx and vocal cords. The purpose of this study was to report a case of difficult intubation while inducing general anesthesia in a patient with CdCS during dental treatment, due to a narrow larynx and trachea.

• Journal of Dental Anesthesia and Pain Medicine
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.73-75
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• 2019