[Intraoperative airway obstruction during use of a laryngeal mask. A case report and fiber optic findings].

Laryngeal obstruction is a challenging complication during anaesthesia with a face mask or laryngeal mask and is due to insufficient analgesia in most cases. However, with a laryngeal mask in place it must be differentiated whether the airway obstruction is caused by the laryngeal mask itself or by other factors. Knowledge of the pathophysiology of the laryngeal closure and experience with the use of the laryngeal mask are essential for adequate treatment. Not the removal of a correctly inserted laryngeal mask which initially provided a satisfying airway, but the relaxation of laryngeal muscle activity by adequate anaesthesia is the first mandatory treatment if intraoperative airway obstruction occurs.