The difficult airway: cardiopulmonary bypass--the ultimate solution.

BACKGROUND: Large, compressive thyroid masses are usually removed as an elective procedure. Rarely is a patient's condition allowed to progress to severe respiratory distress before surgical intervention is recommended. When allowed to progress, management of the airway can be problematic.

METHODS: A case report of a patient with a neglected thyroid lymphoma is presented.

RESULTS: The natural progression of the disease, leading to impending airway collapse, necessitated emergency management of the airway. Due to supraglottic edema and a large neck mass, traditional methods of securing the airway were not feasible. Initiation of femoral-femoral cardiopulmonary bypass, under local anesthesia, ensured adequate oxygenation and allowed a controlled tracheotomy to be performed.

CONCLUSIONS: The result obtained suggests that this approach provides a safe solution for airway control when intubation or a surgically created airway is either unsuccessful or too hazardous.