Upper airway obstruction by retropharyngeal hematoma after cervical spine trauma: report of a case treated with percutaneous dilational tracheostomy.

The authors report the case of a patient affected by a cervical spine trauma who developed upper airway obstruction as a result of a retropharyngeal hematoma. An endotracheal intubation with a small-diameter tube was performed, but ventilation and oxygenation were not adequate. An early Percutaneous Dilational Tracheostomy with the Ciaglia technique was then performed. The risk of upper airway obstruction by retropharyngeal hematoma after cervical spine trauma is discussed in this article, as are the feasibility and benefits of using Percutaneous Dilational Tracheostomy in emergency cases of upper airway obstruction.