Airway Management of Patients Undergoing Oral Cancer Surgery: A Retrospective Analysis of 156 Patients.

Objective: Oral cancer patients have a potentially difficult airway, but if managed properly during the perioperative period, morbidity and mortality can be reduced or avoided.

Methods: The medical records of 156 patients who were operated for oral cancers were reviewed for airway management during the perioperative period.

Results: The surgical procedures ranged from excisions, wide local excisions with split skin graftings, hemiglossectomies and radical neck nodes dissections to pectoralis major myocutaneous or free fibular flaps.