Assessment and confirmation of tracheal intubation when capnography fails: a novel use for an USB camera.

Karippacheril, John George; Umesh, Goneppanavar; Nanda, Shetty

A 62 year old male with a right pyriform fossa lesion extending to the right arytenoid and obscuring the glottic inlet was planned for laser assisted excision. Direct laryngoscopic assessment after topicalization of the airway, showed a Cormack Lehane grade 3 view. We report a case where, in the absence of a fiberscope, a novel inexpensive Universal Serial Bus camera was used to obtain an optimal laryngoscopic view. This provided direct visual confirmation of tracheal intubation with a Laser Flex tube, when capnography failed to show any trace. Capnography may not be reliable as a sole indicator of confirmation of correct endotracheal tube placement. Video laryngoscopy may provide additional confirmation of endotracheal intubation.