A 'can't intubate, can't oxygenate' airway crisis is a rare event which most anaesthetists will never experience during their career 1,2. This report highlights the outcome of time-critical decisions in a potential airway catastrophe. Rocuronium was used as an alternative muscle relaxant for rapid sequence induction. The use of sugammadex in 'can't intubate, can't oxygenate' crises is discussed and highlights how, despite adequate reversal of neuromuscular blockade, the 'can't intubate, can't oxygenate' situation failed to resolve. An asymptomatic vallecular cyst was the causal factor in this scenario. Anaesthetic issues surrounding this pathology are discussed.

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Atropine-induced heart rate (HR) changes were studied in 19 patients (ASA physical status I) during anaesthesia maintained predominantly with propofol-N20 or thiopentone-enflurane-N20. Ten patients (Group A) received midazolam (0.07 rag. kg-J ), fentanyl (1 Izg. kg-l ), propofol (2 mg" kg -l ) and succinylcholine (1 rag. kg-1). Following tracheal intubation, anaesthesia was maintained with propofol (6 mg. kg -I . hr-l ) (minute vol. 85 ml. kg-l ; tidal vol. 7 ml. kg-l ). Ten minutes after tracheal intubation, incremental doses of atropine (equivalent cumulative doses: 1.8, 3.6, 7.2, 14.4, (vol. minute 85 ml. kg-l ; volume courant 7 ml. kg-I ). Dix minutes aprds l' intubation, des doses croissantes d'atropine (doses cumulatives: 1,8, 3,6, 7,2, 14,4, 28,8 lzg" kg -I)

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