Awake tracheal intubation with the ProVu™ video stylet: a case series

Abstract

Management of the difficult airway is integral to peri-operative practice. The development of devices to simplify airway handling are changing our approach to tracheal intubation. We report a case series of three patients who underwent awake tracheal intubation with the ProVu™ video stylet (Flexicare Medical Ltd, Mountain Ash, UK). All three patients had predicted difficult airways, including: limited mouth opening secondary to radiotherapy; previous exenteration, hemi-maxillectomy and scapular free flap formation; and cervical fixation. Awake tracheal intubation was performed successfully in all three cases, with no complications reported. This is the first reported case series of the ProVu™ video stylet as an awake tracheal intubation device. The benefits and limitations of this video stylet are discussed.

Keywords: airway assessment; difficult airway algorithm; equipment; upper airway anatomy.

© 2021 Association of Anaesthetists.

Figures

Figure 1

(a) The ProVu™ in use in patient one with a view of the glottis obtained (https://youtu.be/6nOo3Q6Up5Y) (b) the view of the carina obtained in patient two before removal of the video stylet (c) angle of flexion and retroflexion provided by the ProVu™.