Abstract
Endotracheal intubation can lead to iatrogenic trauma to the upper airways. Superficial mucosal tears in the mouth, pharynx, or larynx are common and can cause secondary infection and acute respiratory distress due to massive air leak. We report a patient who sustained a severe 5-cm tracheal laceration and subcutaneous emphysema after intubation. She was successfully weaned from the ventilator after adjustment of the endotracheal cuff, therapy with broad-spectrum antibiotics, and continuous airway humidification.
Footnotes
- Correspondence: Shih-Chieh Chang, Department of Internal Medicine, National Yang-Ming University Hospital, No. 152 Xin-Min Road, Yilan City 260 Taiwan. E-mail: dtsurga9{at}yahoo.com.tw.
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The authors have disclosed no conflicts of interest.
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