[Management of difficult airway with inhalation induction in a patient with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and neck injury]. / Manejo de vía aérea difícil con inducción inhalatoria en paciente con síndrome de Lennox-Gastaut y traumatismo cervical.

ABSTRACT

Lennox-Gastaut syndrome is a childhood epileptic encephalopathy, and is characterized by frequent and difficult to treat seizures associated with mental retardation. The case is presented of a 21 year-old male with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, with bilateral cervical facet joint dislocation fracture at C6-C7 and spinal canal compression as a result of a fall during a seizure. In this case the management of the difficult airway expected in an awake and uncooperative patient, with cervical spinal cord injury is described. An airway management strategy was proposed, that allowed a rapid and safe airway control with the best possible tolerance and maintaining the neck immobilised, so as not to increase neurological injury. Within this strategy, plan A was defined as inhalation induction with sevoflurane to maintain spontaneous breathing and tracheal intubation with Airtraq®. We believe that the Airtraq® video laryngoscope with inhalational induction with sevoflurane is a valid and effective alternative in the management of expected difficult airway.