Mitigating Aspiration Risk With Awake Intubation: A Case of Intrathoracic Stomach.

Hiatal hernias are common in the elderly and in most cases asymptomatic and no intervention is needed. Hiatal hernias can range from asymptomatic to an intrathoracic stomach, a rare but potentially life-threatening condition, characterized by the migration of the stomach into the thoracic cavity. Its need for urgent intervention presents a major concern for the anesthesiologist because it is associated with a high risk of aspiration. This case report discusses the clinical presentation and anesthetic management of an intrathoracic full stomach proposed for urgent surgery. By presenting this case, we hope to enhance the understanding of preoperative management in patients with intrathoracic full stomach and the role of awake fiberoptic guided intubation as a valuable technique in emergency surgical settings. This case reinforces the importance of existing healthcare professionals with practice in managing similar clinical scenarios effectively.
Competing Interests: Human subjects: Consent for treatment and open access publication was obtained or waived by all participants in this study. Conflicts of interest: In compliance with the ICMJE uniform disclosure form, all authors declare the following: Payment/services info: All authors have declared that no financial support was received from any organization for the submitted work. Financial relationships: All authors have declared that they have no financial relationships at present or within the previous three years with any organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work. Other relationships: All authors have declared that there are no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work.
(Copyright © 2024, Carreira et al.)