No abstract

Summary The role of high‐flow nasal oxygen in paediatric anaesthesia has been emerging in recent years. However, literature regarding its benefits in paediatric difficult airway management is limited. In this case report, we describe the use of high‐flow nasal oxygen during airway management of a child with a difficult airway due to epidermolysis bullosa dystrophica in whom the use of a facemask would have been potentially harmful. Deep sedation was achieved with propofol and remifentanil while maintaining spontaneous breathing before flexible bronchoscopic tracheal intubation was attempted. However, on attempted tracheal intubation difficulty was encountered due to poor visualisation and contact bleeding. Tracheal intubation was eventually successful after converting to videolaryngoscopy. Oxygenation was maintained throughout the process despite deep sedation and a long procedure time. Moreover, no skin abrasions or mucosal injury resulted from the use of high‐flow nasal oxygen. We conclude that high‐flow nasal oxygen has a valuable role during airway management for a child with a predicted difficult airway when the use of a facemask would have been potentially harmful.

An asthmatic patient developed intense bronchospasm immediately following the administration of alcuronium and d-tubocurarine in the same anaesthetic. Intradermal test was positive for both of these drugs but negative for thiopentone and suxamethonium, both of which were given prior to alcuronium. The differential diagnosis and the possible mechanism of the reaction are discussed.