Fiberoptic endotracheal intubation for the craniovertebral junction operations: A retrospective surveillance [Krani̇overtebral bölge ameli̇yatlarinda fi̇beropti̇k bronkoskop i̇le endotrakael entübasyon: Retrospekti̇f i̇nceleme]

In craniovertical junction (cvj) pathologies,the injuries of brainstem,spinal nerves and vasculary structures are the reasons of neurologic symptomes. further neurologic injury is prevented by immobilization during endotracheal intubation. between jully 2006 and september 2009,30 patients undergoing elective posterior stabilization and bone fusion surgeries due to congenital abnormality,degeneration or trauma were evaluated retrospectively with respect to endotracheal intubation and anesthetic techniques. after pharyngeal analgesia,nasal decongestion and sedation with 0.5 mg kg-1 iv propofol titration,19 oral and 11 nasal intubations were performed using fiberoptic broncoscope (fob) on the patients who were aged between 6.0 and 76.0 years. depolarizing and nondepolarizing drugs were used for 3 and 27 patients respectively. anesthesia was maintained with sevoflurane (for 22 patients),isoflurane (for 6 patients) and desflurane (for 2 patients). mean duration of anesthesia was 164.4±33.5 min. posterior instrumentation was performed because of odontoid fracture type ii in 14,type iii in 3 patient,degenerative or congenital c1-2 dislocation in 8,c2-4 fracture and dislocation in 5 patients. at the end of the anesthesia,all patients were extubated and transported to the neurosurgery intensive care unit. safe endotracheal intubation,anesthesia and recovery periods were obtained with endotracheal intubation using fob and inhalational anesthesia for posterior stabilization operations because of cvj instabilization.