ABSTRACT
Fetal airway obstruction could be a result of extrinsic compression of the airway by lesions such as cervical teratoma or cystic hygroma, or intrinsic defects in the airway such as congenital high airway obstruction syndrome. Although large congenital neck masses causing airway obstruction previously carried an enormous perinatal mortality16 the advent of the ex utero intrapartum treatment (EXIT) procedure17,18 has improved their outcome by providing a means of controlling the airway during delivery and converting an airway emergency into an elective procedure (Fig. 2.1).
