Complete upper airway obstruction after induction of anesthesia in a child with undiagnosed lingual tonsil hypertrophy.

We present a case of a 9-year-old patient with previously undiagnosed lingual tonsil hypertrophy (LTH) that caused sudden and complete airway obstruction and inability to ventilate on induction of anesthesia. More frequently described in adults than in children, LTH can complicate mask ventilation, intubation or both, with the potential for catastrophic consequences.