Airway management in laryngeal surgery

Airway management and anesthesia for laryngeal surgery poses many challenges. A preoperative endoscopic airway examination and discussion with the otolaryngologist helps in planning the anesthetic management. Although, securing the airway using specialized endotracheal tubes is possible in the majority of cases, the surgeon may occasionally request a “tubeless” field. This can be achieved by ventilating the lungs using jet ventilation or high flow nasal oxygen (HFNO) while providing total intravenous anesthesia. Therefore, in addition to the “difficult airway” cart, equipment to provide HFNO and a high-pressure source of oxygen to provide jet ventilation should also be available.