Difficult passage of the endotracheal tube and massive nasal bleeding during awake nasal fiberoptic intubation in a patient with airway obstruction caused by neck hematoma

A 60 yr-old male underwent anterior cervical fusion under general anesthesia. Neck swelling was observed at the next morning. Subsequently, emergent CT scanning was performed, which revealed a retropharyngeal hematoma narrowing the upper airway and right anterior neck hematoma significantly deviating the trachea and larynx. Nasal intubation was attempted but difficult passage of the endotracheal tube counteracted this procedure. Immediately, massive nasal bleeding occurred, which worsened the situation. Subsequently, oral fiberoptic intubation with the aid of McCoy type laryngoscope was tried and intubation was barely established. The patient was submitted to emergent evacuation of the hematoma. Reevaluation of the preoperative CT images showed the nasal cavity narrowing because of widespread nasal mucosal swelling. It is necessary to anticipate that nasal mucosal swelling and bleeding tendency due to impairment of venous drainage can exist in such a case.