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An unusual cause of difficult intubation in a patient with a large cervical anterior osteophyte: a case report.

Cesur M, Alici HA, Erdem AF

Department of Anesthesiology and Reanimation, Medical Faculty, Ataturk University, Erzurum, Turkey. mcesur@atauni.edu.tr

This report describes a case in which a large anterior osteophyte on the C2 and C3 vertebrae, due to ankylosing spondylitis, resulted in distortion of the anatomy of the upper airway and difficult intubation. Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a progressive inflammatory disease, characterized by stiffening of the joints and ligaments. Stiffness of the cervical spine, atlanto-occipital, temporomandibular and cricoarytenoid joints may cause difficult intubation (1). This report describes a case in which a large anterior osteophyte on the C2 and C3 vertebrae, associated with AS, resulted in distortion of the anatomy of the upper airway and difficult intubation.

Published 17 February 2005 in Acta Anaesthesiol Scand, 49(2): 264-6.
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