Redefining exchange of tracheal tube from nasal to oral in high risk sepsis patient

A 35-year-old male weighing 94 kg developed significant oropharyngeal and perilaryngeal oedema with sepsis in the postoperative period following mandibular advancement surgery. He needed change of an existing nasotracheal tube to the orotracheal route in the intensive care unit (ICU). The procedure had to be abandoned in the ICU for fear of losing the airway in this patient requiring high inspired oxygen concentration of 60% and positive end expiratory pressure of 8.0 cm H2O. The changeover of tube was safely achieved in the operation theatre by utilising the splinting effect of the existing nasotracheal tube that helped to keep the oedematous epiglottis lifted while an airway exchange catheter (AEC) was placed by its side under videolaryngoscopic guidance. Railroading the new orotracheal tube over the preplaced AEC after withdrawing the nasal tube while receiving oxygen at 4 litres per minute helped to accomplish the safe exchange of the tracheal tube.