A study of flexible fiberoptic bronchoscopy aided tracheal intubation for patients undergoing elective surgery under general anesthesia.

[oral submucous fibrosis]

A difficult airway complicates up to one tenths of cases of elective general anesthesia . Such situations can be anticipated and tackled by fiberoptic flexible bronchoscopy (FFB ) assisted tracheal intubation . To study the indications and outcomes of FFB assisted tracheal intubation in patients with anticipated difficult airway , who are undergoing surgery under general anesthesia . Cases who were intubated using FFB assistance were included in the study . Detailed examination was done pre operatively to be able to predict the difficult airway . Intubation was done with the help of a FFB after induction of general anesthesia . There were total 52 cases . Majority were male and in the fourth decade of life . Oral submucous fibrosis was the commonest indication for the procedure . There were two cases of failure , but no significant mortality or morbidity . A difficult airway can be encountered across specialties . It can be anticipated by simple or multi factorial methods . Awake FFB aided intubation is the gold standard in cases of anticipated difficult airway . Failure rates of 4 -66 % have been reported . In the present study the failure rate was less than 4 % with no morbidity or mortality . FFB assisted intubation is safe and effective in paediatric patients too . FFB assisted intubation done in an organised and skilled manner is a very important skill to have to tackle cases of difficult intubation . Hence it should be included in training programmes of anesthesia .