Hermsen H W E M, Snijdelaar D G, Marres H A M
Universitair Medisch Centrum St Radboud, Postbus 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen.
Ned Tijdschr Geneeskd. 2002 Mar 2;146(9):427-31.
During laryngeal laser surgery a 74-year-old male experienced endotracheal tube cuff ignition. This caused severe damage to the trachea. Eventually the patient died after 26 days on the intensive care unit due to a underlying cause. Microlaryngeal and tracheobronchial surgery require a good level of cooperation between the anaesthesiologist and the ENT surgeon, especially when a laser is used. To reduce the risk of an airway fire occurring, a number of precautions can (and must) be taken. Completing a checklist before the laser is used can prove helpful in this respect.
