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The Difficult Route to Glottis in Cleft Patients Simplified

  • Technical Note
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Journal of Maxillofacial and Oral Surgery Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Introduction

Cleft lip with or without palate is one of the most common craniofacial anomalies worldwide. Airway problems in children with cleft lip and palate were well recognized since very early times.

Objective

The aim of this technical note is to describe a unique method of performing direct laryngoscopy in children with cleft lip and palate by using a palatal obturator to cover the alveolar and palatal defect in these patients.

Methods

The palatal obturator was fabricated using cold cure acrylic after making an impression of the defect using putty-type impression material.

Results

The use of the palatal obturator facilitated the placement of the laryngoscope's blade by providing adequate leverage to it during the process of direct laryngoscopy prior to intubating children with cleft lip and palate defect.

Conclusion

A discontinuous alveolar arch and palatal defect contribute to lack of effective leverage of the laryngoscope blade while attempting visualization of the glottis. This difficulty can be overcome by use of an obturator to cover the alveolar and palatal defect in order to provide adequate leverage while using a laryngoscope for visualizing the glottis.

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References

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Funding

This study was not funded by any institution or person.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dube Surgical and Dental Hospital, Near Ghamapur Chowk, Jabalpur, MP, 482003, India

    Shyam Bose, Gunjan Dube, Radhika Shrivastava & Anukool Choube

Authors
  1. Shyam Bose
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  2. Gunjan Dube
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  3. Radhika Shrivastava
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  4. Anukool Choube
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Gunjan Dube.

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Conflict of interest

The author Dr Shyam Bose declares that he has no conflict of interest. The co-author Dr Gunjan Dube declares that he has no conflicts of interest. The co-author Dr. Radhika Shrivastava declares that she has no conflicts of interest. The co-author Dr. Anukool Choube declares that she has no conflicts of interest.

Ethical Approval

All procedures performed in this study involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Declaration of Helsinki and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

Informed Consent

Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study prior to anaesthetizing and operating them.

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Bose, S., Dube, G., Shrivastava, R. et al. The Difficult Route to Glottis in Cleft Patients Simplified. J. Maxillofac. Oral Surg. 18, 479–481 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12663-018-1128-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12663-018-1128-x

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