Known difficult airway in a patient with pheochromocytoma: a case report

Abstract

The manipulation of an airway is always a critical moment in the anesthetic management of patients with pheochromocytoma due to the high incidence of undesirable hemodynamic events in relation with the stimulus represented by the laryngoscopy. A known difficult airway in which it is necessary to carry out an orotracheal intubation while preserving spontaneous ventilation subjects the patient to a stressful situation. The objective is to obtain an acceptable level of comfort and sedation avoiding respiratory depression (Anesthesiol Clin 2015;33:233-40). In this case, we describe the management of a known difficult airway in a patient with a pheochromocytoma and a personal history of arterial hypertension and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease who underwent orotracheal intubation with spontaneous ventilation with Airtraq and with dexmedetomidine as the only sedative agent.

Conclusion: Dexmedetomidine is a useful drug for sedation during orotracheal intubation with spontaneous ventilation in a patient with pheochromocytoma and a chronic respiratory pathology (Chin Med J (Engl) 2015;128:3143-3148, J Clin Anesth 2007; 19:370-373).

Keywords: Dexmedetomidine; Difficult airway; Pheochromocytoma.