The management of Le Fort-type fractures, their surgical repair and the management of the airway are a challenge for the surgeon and the anesthesiologist. Although orotracheal intubation is the most frequently used route in securing airway, it interferes with the surgical field, as an alternative nasotracheal intubation is commonly used. However, nasotracheal intubation is contraindicated in cases of skull-base trauma, therefore the tracheostomy is a good route for securing the airway, nevertheless, this procedure is associated with various complications. In 1986 submental intubation was described for the first time, since then it has been used as an attractive option in the control of the airway management for this type of situations. We present the case of a patient with multiple fractures of the maxillofacial complex, in whom tracheostomy was avoided and the submental intubation technique was chosen.
