Open AccessTracheal necrosis with surgical emphysema following thyroidectomy
Author(s) -
Ashutosh Chauhan,
Manomoy Ganguly,
N Saidha,
P Gulia
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
journal of postgraduate medicine/journal of postgraduate medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.405
H-Index - 52
eISSN - 0972-2823
pISSN - 0022-3859
DOI - 10.4103/0022-3859.57401
Subject(s) - medicine , thyroidectomy , surgery , complication , thorax (insect anatomy) , necrosis , thyroid , anatomy , pathology
Tracheal necrosis after thyroidectomy is an extremely rare event with only a few published reports. We present a case of a 65-year-old male who developed rapidly progressive surgical emphysema of face and upper thorax on the seventh day following total thyroidectomy. Prompt surgical exploration of neck revealed a tracheal rent at the level of the second tracheal ring. This hole was then refashioned into a formal tracheostomy. Patient had an eventful recovery. Tracheostomy was closed by the 14th day. The complication was probably related to tracheal injury sustained due to electro-coagulation and subsequent secondary infection.