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An unusual complication of emergency tracheal intubation
Author(s) -
Ooi G. C.,
Irwin M. G.,
Lam L. K.,
Cheng S. W. K.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
anaesthesia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.839
H-Index - 117
eISSN - 1365-2044
pISSN - 0003-2409
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2044.1997.72-az0069.x
Subject(s) - medicine , complication , intubation , respiratory distress , surgery , resuscitation , tracheal intubation , anesthesia , airway , respiratory failure , abscess
A 68‐year‐old woman presented with dyspnoea having undergone a short period of tracheal intubation during an episode of congestive cardiac failure 10 days earlier. On the fourth day of admission, she suddenly developed acute respiratory distress followed by a cardiac arrest and was found to have an enlarging neck mass. Following intubation and resuscitation, computerised tomography was carried out and surgical exploration revealed a retropharyngeal abscess and a pseudo‐aneurysm of the common carotid artery resulting from pharyngeal rupture which most probably occurred as a complication of the original tracheal intubation.