Abstract: PURPOSE: To summarize the experience in postoperative difficult airway management of head neck and maxillofacial surgery. METHODS: Between January 2015 and December 2015, 180 patients undergoing head neck and maxillofacial surgery with artificial airway in SICU were analyzed retrospectively. The patients were divided into 3 groups according to the type of the operation: tumor resection group (60 cases), congenital malformation correction group (60 cases) and trauma group (60 cases). SPSS13.0 software package was used for perioperative statistical analysis. RESULTS: The operation and anesthesia time, the ratio of awake tracheal intubation and the amount of bleeding during operation in the tumor resection group were significantly higher than those in the other two groups (P<0.05), the postoperative tube time was also significantly longer (P<0.05) in the tumor resection group. The incidence of sedation and restlessness was highest in the trauma operation group (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Head neck and maxillofacial surgery often has airway obstruction due to local anatomical structure change, hemorrhage and edema. Use of sedation and analgesia drugs, retained tracheal intubation and delayed extubation can avoid the occurrence of serious complications.

Key words: Postoperative care, SICU, Extubation, Airway obstruction