Children with difficult airways can be grouped into four main groups. The first group includes children who have congenital anomalies affecting the airway, such as vascular rings, laryngomalacia, micrognathia, or neurofibromatosis. The second group includes patients with an acutely acquired obstruction of the airway, such as trauma or foreign body. The third group includes infectious etiologies such as retropharyngeal abscess, laryngotracheobronchitis, or peritonsillar abscess. The fourth group includes children without known congenital or anatomic abnormalities who have unanticipated difficulty with intubation secondary to glottic visualization problems on direct laryngoscopy such that videolaryngoscopy is indicated.

References

• Huang AS, Hajduk J, Rim C, Coffield S, Jagannathan N. Focused review on management of the difficult paediatric airway. Indian J Anaesth. 2019;63:428-436.
• Stein ML, Park RS, Kovatsis PG. Emerging trends, techniques, and equipment for airway management in pediatric patients. Paediatr Anaesth. 2020;30:269-279.
• Disma N, Asai T, Cools E, et al. Airway management in neonates and infants: European Society of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care and British Journal of Anaesthesia joint guidelines. Eur J Anaesthesiol. 2024;41:3-23.