The narrow airway: from high-frequency jet ventilation to flow-controlled ventilation.

Purpose of review: Management of the narrow airway during surgical procedures poses significant challenges, requiring techniques that ensure optimal gas exchange while providing adequate surgical access. This review synthesizes the current understanding, comparing the established role of high-frequency jet ventilation (HFJV) with the advancements offered by flow-controlled ventilation (FCV) in the context of upper airway surgery.

Recent findings: Recent clinical experience and studies have highlighted the potential advantages of combining a narrow-bore cuffed tube with FCV in terms of surgical access and visibility, enhanced ventilation and gas exchange, reduced complications, and improved safety during laryngeal and tracheal surgery, particularly in patients with significant airway narrowing.

Summary: While HFJV remains a valuable technique for providing surgical access and facilitating ventilation in specific scenarios, FCV represents a potentially advantageous alternative by actively managing both inspiration and expiration and providing airway protection. Further large prospective comparative trials are needed to fully evaluate the safety and efficacy of FCV compared to HFJV during upper airway surgery.