Submental Intubation in Panfacial Trauma: A Pictorial Demonstration With Anesthetic Considerations

Airway management in patients with panfacial trauma is particularly challenging when both nasal and oral routes are unsuitable. Submental intubation serves as an effective alternative to tracheostomy in such scenarios. We report the case of a 30-year-old male who presented with mandibular and nasal bone fractures following a road traffic accident. Limited mouth opening and the need for intraoperative maxillomandibular fixation made conventional airway approaches unsuitable. Submental intubation was performed after initial oral intubation to facilitate surgical access. The procedure was completed successfully without complications. This case highlights the role of submental intubation as a safe, reliable, and less invasive alternative to tracheostomy in selected maxillofacial trauma cases.

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Publication Details

Journal
Cureus
Published
2026-04-12
DOI
https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.106890
Primary Topic
Airway Management and Intubation Techniques
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00
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article

Submental Intubation in Panfacial Trauma: A Pictorial Demonstration With Anesthetic Considerations

Sri Hari Vignesh R, Leena Sekar, Vivekanandhan Narayanaswamy
Cureus
Airway Management and Intubation Techniques
article

Submental Intubation in Panfacial Trauma: A Pictorial Demonstration With Anesthetic Considerations

Sri Hari Vignesh R, Leena Sekar, Vivekanandhan Narayanaswamy
article en

Abstract

Airway management in patients with panfacial trauma is particularly challenging when both nasal and oral routes are unsuitable. Submental intubation serves as an effective alternative to tracheostomy in such scenarios. We report the case of a 30-year-old male who presented with mandibular and nasal bone fractures following a road traffic accident. Limited mouth opening and the need for intraoperative maxillomandibular fixation made conventional airway approaches unsuitable. Submental intubation was performed after initial oral intubation to facilitate surgical access. The procedure was completed successfully without complications. This case highlights the role of submental intubation as a safe, reliable, and less invasive alternative to tracheostomy in selected maxillofacial trauma cases.

Cureus
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Airway Management and Intubation Techniques
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