Management of a known difficult airway in a morbidly obese patient with gross supraglottic oedema secondary to thyroid disease

Abstract

We describe the use of awake fibreoptic intubation in the management of a patient with a known difficult airway, who presented with stridor resulting from supraglottic oedema. The aetiological factors contributing to this supraglottic oedema included coexisting thyroid swelling and congestive cardiac failure. Options for appropriate airway management in such cases are discussed.