[A guidewire as a reintubation aid. Translaryngeal fiberoptic insertion of a guidewire into the trachea to assist fiberoptic reintubation in patients difficult to intubate].

Securing the airway following surgery can be a problem in certain patients. Preparation, therefore, should include a plan for safe reintubation, if necessary. We report two patients with a difficult airway (recurrent thyroid carcinoma, inoperable carcinoma of the hypopharynx) who were at a high risk for intubation under general anaesthesia. In addition, one of the patients suffered from an acute abdomen and ileus. We used a guidewire placed into the trachea via a fiberscope to facilitate fiberoptic reintubation.