Available online 2 May 2023, 101260

Children are more susceptible to intubation related injuries than adults. It could be as minor as mild laryngeal edema to fatal airway obstruction. Repeated attempts at intubation in paediatric patients secondary to difficult airway or nonoptimal intubating conditions may lead to catastrophic complications. Surgery was scheduled for a 3-month-old infant with lumbar myelomeningocele. After inhalational induction, repeated intubation attempts resulted in laryngeal edema. i-gel® was then inserted, and the appropriate management was followed to reduce the edema. Here, we report a near fatal event in the form of laryngeal edema in an infant posted for meningocele repair. Proper titration of depth of inhalational anaesthesia is essential to avoid repeated attempts at laryngoscopy and subsequent complications.

Laryngeal edema

Difficult intubation

Infant anaesthesia

© 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.