Bronchial thermoplasty under general anesthesia using second generation supraglottic airway device (Ambu®AuraGain) : a case series

Vornicu, Ovidiu Ionut [UCL] Dincq, Anne-Sophie [UCL] Mayné, Alain [UCL] D'ODEMONT, Jean-Paul [UCL] Mariage,Jean-Louis Putz, Laurie [UCL]

Bronchial thermoplasty is an emerging interventional bronchoscopic procedure aimed at helping patients with moderate to severe asthma. This treatment delivers thermal energy to the bronchial wall during bronchoscopies which leads to an improvement in asthma escaping to conventional pharmacological treatment. Bronchial thermoplasty is performed under mild or deep sedation or general anesthesia requiring tracheal intubation or laryngeal mask insertion. However, sedation presents some secondary effects such as coughing, apnea and patient and/or pneumologist discomfort while general anesthesia with intubation is more invasive and is associated with potentially harmful hemodynamic instability. We therefore decided to perform bronchial thermoplasty with a second-generation supraglottic airway device: Ambu® AuraGain (Ambu A/S, Ballerup, Denmark). This device is anatomically curved and offers a higher seal pressure as well as a clear view of the glottis inlet. Here, we report the use of a second-generation supraglottic airway device (Ambu® AuraGain) in four patients undergoing 12 procedures.