Difficult airway management of a patient with limited range of motion in the temporomandibular joint and cervical extension caused by psoriatic arthritis: a case report

BACKGROUND: Psoriasis vulgaris, a chronic inflammatory skin disease, rarely causes temporomandibular arthritis. We report a case of difficult airway management of a patient with limited range of motion in the temporomandibular joint and cervical extension caused by psoriatic arthritis. CASE PRESENTATION: A 33-year-old man was scheduled to undergo laparoscopic colectomy. On admission, he was diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis. After induction of general anesthesia, we attempted intubation using Pentax Airway Scope® with a thin intlock blade and using a bronchoscope, but it was impossible because of the limited oral space and mandibular elevation. Because of concerns about cannot intubate, cannot ventilate, we antagonized the neuromuscular block and he emerged from general anesthesia. Finally, we succeeded in awake intubation via the nasal cavity using a bronchoscope under spontaneous respiration. CONCLUSIONS: Although psoriasis vulgaris is very rarely associated with temporomandibular arthritis, anesthesiologists should consider that it can cause perioperative difficult airways.