Abstract
BackgroundTracheal rupture is a rare but life-threatening complication that most commonly occurrs after blunt trauma to the chest, but which may also complicate tracheal intubation. We report a case of post-intubation tracheal rupture after cataract surgery under general anesthesia treated conservatively.Case presentationFour hours after extubation, a 67 year-old woman developed subcutaneous emphysema of the facial, bilateral laterocervical and upper anterior chest. Tracheobronchial fiberendoscopy showed a posterior tracheal transmural rupture 4 cm long located 2.5 cm above the carina that opened in inspiration. The location of the lesion and features of the patient favoured conservative treatment with antibiotic cover. The patient made a full and uncomplicated recovery and was discharged fourteen days after the original injury.ConclusionTwo therapeutic strategies are currently employed for post-intubation tracheal rupture: a non-surgical strategy for small injuries and a surgical strategy for larger injuries. This case report presented the non-surgical therapeutic strategy of a large tracheal injury.
Highlights
Tracheal rupture is a rare but life-threatening complication that most commonly occurrs after blunt trauma to the chest, but which may complicate tracheal intubation
We present a case of post-intubation Tracheal rupture (TR) after cataract surgery under general anesthesia with orotracheal intubation
A 67-year-old woman was scheduled for cataract surgery under general anesthesia
Summary
This case report presented an iatrogenic post-intubation tracheal rupture treated conservatively. It illustrates the effectiveness of the non-surgical therapeutic strategy of a large tracheal injury. Selection of treatment for post-intubation TR must remain individualized. This case illustrates the current tendency to increase conservative therapy in this pathology
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