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. 2025 Apr 16;13(4):e70436.
doi: 10.1002/ccr3.70436. eCollection 2025 Apr.

Retrograde Intubation in Advanced Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma With Airway Obstruction: A Case Report and Literature Review

Laxman Wagle  1 , Dhiraj Raj Regmi  2 , Sangharsha Thapa  3 , Mustafa Abdulmahdi  1
Affiliations

Retrograde Intubation in Advanced Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma With Airway Obstruction: A Case Report and Literature Review

Laxman Wagle et al. Clin Case Rep. .

Abstract

Retrograde intubation is a valuable technique for securing the airway in patients with advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma causing airway obstruction. In this case, retrograde intubation enabled successful airway management when conventional methods failed, highlighting its role in complex head and neck cancer cases. It offers low complication risks and high success rates.

Keywords: airway obstruction; difficult airway management; endotracheal intubation; head and neck cancer; nasopharyngeal carcinoma; retrograde intubation.

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Conflict of interest statement

This article has not been submitted to other publications or presented at conferences or meetings.The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
CT scan showing right (green cross) and left nasopharyngeal mass (black cross) due to advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
CT scan showing nasopharyngeal carcinoma (red cross) and near complete obstruction of posterior airways (arrow).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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