Ketamine-Induced Spontaneous Breathing Intubation With Airway Topicalization: A Case Report of Airway Obstruction in Retrieval Care

A LifeFlight Retrieval Medicine air medical team was tasked to a rural facility 200 km away to manage and retrieve a 73-year-old woman with evolving airway obstruction. Resources at the referring site included a general practitioner with anesthetic skills training but no access to otorhinolaryngology (ear, nose, and throat) or flexible fiberoptic airway devices. On arrival of the LifeFlight Retrieval Medicine, the patient became agitated, with deterioration in her airway patency. A clinical diagnosis of Ludwig's angina with evolving airway obstruction was made. Using a technique of ketamine-facilitated, spontaneous breathing tracheal intubation with a video laryngoscope, the retrieval team was able to safely secure the patient's airway before transporting her to a regional hospital with ear, nose, and throat surgical services. Computed tomographic imaging revealed an oropharyngeal abscess with spread into the larynx, which subsequently underwent surgical drainage. This case report outlines the technique of awake laryngoscopy with relevance to the retrieval physician and discusses some of the challenges and potential complications associated with it.