[Successful nasotracheal intubation with the Pentax-AWS Airwayscope and gum-elastic bougie in a patient with recurrent tongue cancer].

We report our experience of successful nasotracheal intubation with a spiral tube, by using the Pentax-AWS Airwayscope (AWS) with a gum-elastic bougie (GEB) in a patient with invasive recurrent tongue cancer. The patient was a 55-year-old man who had undergone partial resection of the tongue and cervical lymphadenectomy, and was scheduled for extended resection of the tongue and larynx under general anesthesia. Sufficient mask ventilation with the head-tilt and chin-lift maneuver was achieved. We first inserted AWS gently and visualized the glottis. Next, we inserted the 15 Fr GEB through his nasal aperture and placed it in the trachea under the guidance of the AWS monitor. This allowed us to place the spiral tube uneventfully through the GEB. No evidence of bleeding or damage of the tumor was found. Nasotracheal intubation with the GEB under the guidance of the AWS monitor may be useful in cases such as those involving tongue cancer in which oral space is either narrowed or restricted.