Laryngeal Mask as the Primary Airway Device During Laryngotracheal Surgery: Data From 108 Patients.

BACKGROUND:Airway management during repair of laryngotracheal stenosis is demanding, and there is currently no accepted standard of care. Recently an increasing number of airway centers have started to use a laryngeal mask until the airway is surgically exposed and cross-table ventilation can be initiated. However detailed data on this approach are missing in the literature. METHODS:Patients receiving laryngotracheal surgery from November 2011 until October 2018 were retrospectively included in this single-center study, except for patients who presented with a preexisting tracheostomy at time of surgery. Airway management uniformly consisted of laryngeal mask ventilation until cross-table ventilation was established. Clinical variables, perioperative complications, and airway complications were analyzed. RESULTS:One hundred eight patients (65 women, 43 men) receiving tracheal resection (n = 50), cricotracheal resection (n = 49), or single-stage laryngotracheal reconstruction (n = 9) were included in the analysis. Of the included patients 23 (21.3%) had malignant disease and 85 (78.7%) a benign pathology. In the subgroup of patients with subglottic disease 85.1% had high-grade stenosis (Myer-Cotton III°). Airway management with a laryngeal mask was successful in all except 1 patient (99.1%). Mean pulse oximetry and mean end-tidal CO2 during laryngeal mask ventilation was 98.7% ± 2.4% and 34.8 ± 7.6 mm Hg, respectively. At the end of surgery 95 patients (88%) were successfully weaned from the respirator using the laryngeal mask. CONCLUSIONS:The laryngeal mask as the primary airway device is feasible and safe in patients undergoing laryngotracheal surgery even in cases with high-grade stenosis.