[Endotracheal intubation of patients with Pierre-Robin sequence. Successful use of video intubation laryngoscope].

Patients with Pierre Robin sequence are a classic model for patients with a difficult airway. In these patients tracheal intubation may be facilitated using the lateral approach. In a 3-day-old newborn with Pierre Robin sequence, scheduled for anaesthesia to take a mould of the cleft palate, we used a video-intubation laryngoscope to give a video-display of the lateral approach intubation technique to the junior colleagues. The video-laryngoscopic view allowed detailed demonstration of the intubation procedure to all persons present. In addition, video-transmission of the laryngoscope picture enabled the attendant anaesthetist to quickly recognise the need for suctioning the hypopharynx and to coordinate the direction and extent of laryngeal pressure according the video-laryngoscopic findings. Of special value for the intuboscopist was the improved view of the cords provided by the video-display compared with direct laryngoscopy. This facilitated a non-traumatic insertion of the tube into the trachea and allowed reliable confirmation of the intubation depth by the tube marking between the vocal cords.