Lingual oedema associated with the prolonged use of an inappropriately large laryngeal mask airway (LMATM) in an infant.

A case report is presented of a 12-month-old infant who developed lingual oedema after the prolonged use of an inappropriately large laryngeal mask airway (LMATM). A size 2(1/2) LMA was used in a 10.6 kg infant during a 5 h operative procedure. Postoperatively, the patient developed significant tongue oedema, which gradually resolved with time and dexamethasone treatment. This rare complication demonstrates the potential danger of using an overly large LMA in an infant, especially for a significant period of time.