Videolaryngoscope-Assisted Double-Lumen Endotracheal Tube Intubation in an Awake Patient With Known Difficult Airway and Bronchopleural Fistula: A Case Report

Awake endotracheal intubation is the technique of choice to secure the airway when both mask ventilation and intubation are anticipated to be difficult. We present a case of a patient with a known difficult airway, bronchopleural fistula (BPF), and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) who was intubated with a double-lumen endotracheal tube (DL ETT) under awake condition using a videolaryngoscope. Independent lung ventilation (ILV) was instituted because of the BPF. The patient was treated successfully for ARDS and discharged home. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of successful videolaryngoscope-assisted DL ETT intubation in an awake patient.