An Unusual Cause of Failure of Fiberoptic Intubation due to Continuous Suctioning: A Case Report

Clin Case Rep. 2024 Dec 6;12(12):e9696. doi: 10.1002/ccr3.9696. eCollection 2024 Dec.

Abstract

Flexible fiberoptic intubation is the gold standard technique during difficult airway management. Failure of fiberoptic intubation could be due to patient factors, equipment factors, and operator expertise. We present a case where fiberoptic intubation was unsuccessful because of equipment error following continuous suction pressure application.

Keywords: collapsed airway; equipment error; fiberoptic intubation; unanticipated difficult airway.