Anaesthesia management of a difficult airway patient with severe aortic stenosis for major oncosurgery

Abstract

Over the past few decades, oncosurgical procedures are increasing in number, require considerable expertise and training for anaesthetising such patients. Aortic Stenosis itself poses great challenge, causes significant increase in morbidity and mortality in the perioperative period. Head, neck oncosurgical procedures with difficult airway requiring awake fiberoptic intubation in such patients adds to the challenge.We describe once such case of previously operated Carcinoma of oral cavity with new growth involving mandible for excision of tumour with neck dissection and mandibular reconstruction with a free Fibula flap. This patient now presented with anticipated difficult airway with restricted mouth opening and a recent diagnosis of severe Aortic stenosis with mean gradient across aortic valve of 52mmHg and valve area 0.8 cm2.Such patient requires multidisciplinary team approach by cardiologist, anaesthesiologist, surgeon and intensivist to prevent perioperative morbidity and facilitate early recovery.