tracheostomy

Surgical or conservative management of post intubation tracheal injury: when and how?

Iatrogenic tracheal or tracheobronchial injuries occur after intubation, percutaneous tracheostomy or rigid bronchoscopy. The incidence is relatively rare; however, this complication can potentially be life-threating. We report 13 patients with an iatrogenic tracheal laceration treated between 2011 and 2019 and a literature review to assess the different treatment options.

BEDSIDE TRANSCERVICAL-TRANSTRACHEAL POST-INTUBATION INJURY REPAIR IN A COVID-19 PATIENT

SARS-Co-2 disease 2019 (COVID-19) has rapidly spread worldwide since December 2019. A relevant rate of patients develops an acute respiratory distress syndrome that require hospitalization. Among them, a non-negligible rate (9.8%-15.2%) requires tracheal intubation for invasive ventilation. We report the case of a COVID-19 patient developing pneumomediastinum and subcutaneous emphysema secondary to post-intubation tracheal injury. The management of COVID-19 patient can be challenging due to the risk of disease transmission to caregivers and epidemic spread.

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