Kwon Min A, Cho Chaemin, Park Jeong Heon
Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Dankook University Hospital, Cheonan, Korea.
Anesth Pain Med (Seoul). 2020 Jan 31;15(1):124-128. doi: 10.17085/apm.2020.15.1.124.
Tracheostomy tube exchange is a common and safe procedure. However, when the tracheocutaneous tract is not completely mature, cannula exchange or endotracheal tube insertion via the tracheostomy site can rarely induce life-threatening complications, including subcutaneous emphysema, loss of airway, tension pneumothorax, and pneumoperitoneum.
We report a case of life-threatening tension pneumothorax developed during tracheostomy tube exchange with a reinforced endotracheal tube for a planned facial surgery after recent tracheostomy in a trauma patient.
Understanding of the pathogenesis and the use of preventive strategies based on it are expected to provide safer and more effective anesthetic management to patients with tracheostomy.