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.