Intubation of infants with Pierre Robin syndrome: the use of the paraglossal approach combined with a gum-elastic bougie in six consecutive cases.

Abstract

Infants with Pierre Robin syndrome are known to be difficult to intubate. We evaluated the paraglossal approach combined with a gum elastic bougie for intubation of these infants. Whilst under general anaesthesia, a conventional laryngoscopy was performed; if it failed to obtain a laryngoscopic grade I or II view, intubation was attempted using a paraglossal approach and a gum elastic bougie. Six consecutive infants were studied. Conventional laryngoscopy failed in all infants whilst the paraglossal approach combined with a gum elastic bougie was successful in five of the cases. The paraglossal approach combined with a gum elastic bougie made intubation easy in most children with severe Pierre Robin syndrome and difficult laryngoscopy. Therefore we recommend this as the first line for airway management in such children. However, a fibreoptic bronchoscope and an anaesthetist trained in fibreoptic intubation must still be present when dealing with severe Pierre Robin syndrome infants.