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Case Reports
. 2018 Jul;55(1):e15-e18.
doi: 10.1016/j.jemermed.2018.02.014. Epub 2018 Apr 22.

Iatrogenic Tracheal Rupture Caused by Emergency Intubation: A Case Report

Christopher Schaeffer  1 , Thomas Galas  2 , Bettina Teruzzi  3 , Jerome Sudrial  4 , Nicolas Allou  2 , Olivier Martinet  2
Affiliations
Case Reports

Iatrogenic Tracheal Rupture Caused by Emergency Intubation: A Case Report

Christopher Schaeffer et al. J Emerg Med. 2018 Jul.

Abstract

Background: Iatrogenic tracheal rupture is a rare but life-threatening complication. If suspected by clinical examination or chest radiograph, a computed tomography scan can confirm the diagnosis, but the criterion standard is a bronchoscopy. There is no consensus on its management.

Case report: A 52-year-old woman was intubated in a prehospital setting after cardiac arrest. A gradual appearance of subcutaneous emphysema was observed after intubation. A computed tomography scan revealed a complicated tracheal rupture, pneumomediastinum, and pneumothorax. The management was surgical. WHY SHOULD AN EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN BE AWARE OF THIS?: Intubation in emergency conditions increases the risk of tracheal rupture and a delay in management is an important prognostic factor.

Keywords: prehospital; subcutaneous emphysema; tracheal intubation; tracheal rupture.

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