Cystic hygroma, difficult airway and the anesthetic considerations

Abstract

A 5 days old baby was referred from a local hospital for evaluation and treatment of a huge swelling on the right side of the neck extending beyond the midline in front and with difficulty by her mother to feed her since birth. It was clinically diagnosed to be cystic hygroma and a decision was made to further evaluate by doing magnetic resonance imaging under general anesthesia in order to see the extent of the mass and to plan for either sclerotherapy or surgical excision. Difficult intubation was anticipated and the baby was intubated in main operating room with inhalation induction and maintenance with sevoflurane without giving muscle relaxants. The 30 min of the procedure period was smooth without any complication. The baby was extubated in the main operating room complex.