Fig. 1
From: Post-radiotherapy suggests a possible difficult airway even with an asymptomatic supraglottic change
Preoperative flexible fiberscope image. a The wide angle of glottis view by preoperative flexible fiberscope. Radiotherapy for hypopharyngeal cancer elicited a cicatricial change in the arytenoid region* to bilateral aryepiglottic fold ** over a long period of time. Even cylindrical cicatricial change above vocal cord was observed, we could not evaluate this change at the physical examination 1 day before surgery. b The close angle of glottis view by preoperative flexible fiberscope. The change of shape in supraglottic hyperplasic cicatricial tissue during video laryngoscope exposer. As we inserted McGRATH® and tried to visualize the vocal cord, the red line changed to the red dotted line when we pulled the epiglottis upwards. Hyperplasic tissue was pulled up and narrowed the entrance to the trachea