Abstract
Here we report two cases in which healthy young patients died during surgery because ventilation was impossible by a clinical picture of massive subcutaneous emphysema. The probable diagnosis was tracheal rupture. This diagnosis was not confirmed during coroner's autopsy, but there had been no systematic search for a puncture in the trachea or the main bronchial tubes. Immediate recognition of this situation, and implementation of ventilation of one lung by pushing a narrower endobronchial tube beyond the tracheal rupture, is potentially life-saving.
Translated title of the contribution | Tracheal rupture as a cause of unanticipated perioperative mortality |
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Original language | Dutch |
Pages (from-to) | A6068 |
Number of pages | 5 |
Journal | Nederlands Tijdschrift voor Geneeskunde |
Volume | 157 |
Issue number | 25 |
Publication status | Published - 2013 |
Keywords
- Fatal Outcome
- Female
- Humans
- Intubation, Intratracheal
- Male
- Perioperative Period
- Rupture
- Subcutaneous Emphysema
- Trachea
- Young Adult
- Case Reports
- English Abstract
- Journal Article