Lingual Tonsil Hypertrophy As a Cause of Difficult Airway

Abstract

Lingual tonsil hypertrophy might be a factor in difficult airway. Lingual tonsil is a ventral laryngeal structure and a typical and common laryngoscopy itself prevents its visualization during oro-tracheal intubation. Recently, the use of video laryngoscopes has become popular among anesthesiologists and the device can observe lingual tonsils easily. The frequency of lingual tonsil hypertrophy was estimated as 3 to 4 percent of scheduled surgical patients, but the exact relationship between difficult airway and hypertrophy is unknown. Further careful observation might result in new findings on lingual tonsil during intubation.