A simple approach to airway management in a child with a giant tongue hemangioma--a case report.

We experienced a similar situation in a five-year-old boy who had a giant lingual hemangioma which filled the entire oral cavity (Fig 1). Squeezing the hemangioma manually with a wet gauze decompressed the hemangioma to a great extent (Fig 2) which facilitated induction of general anesthesia and orotracheal intubation. An oral airway was gently inserted above the tongue into the oral cavity. Anesthesia was induced by sevoflurane in 100% oxygen. Macintosh laryngoscopy was then performed to be followed by orotracheal intubation.