Airtraq (R) optical laryngoscope for tracheal intubation in patients with severe ankylosing spondylitis: A report of two cases

Airway management in patients of ankylosing spondylitis remains a challenge for anaesthesiologists. Many new airway devices have been used for securing airway in these patients. The Airtraq (R) optical laryngoscope is one of the new rigid laryngoscopes with a proximal view finder that reflects an image transferred from the distal tip of the blade through a series of lenses, prisms and mirrors. We report two cases of ankylosing spondylitis who were scheduled for total hip replacement and subtotal thyroidectomy and were successfully intubated using the Airtraq (R) laryngoscope.