title: Obstruction of upper airways complicating tracheostomy and use of neodymium Yag laser.
abstract: Mucoid impaction of tracheobronchial tree is a common condition which may complicate tracheostomy. Here we describe a case of a 72-year-old man, status after tracheostomy, who presented to the hospital with an acute upper airways obstruction and respiratory arrest due to a tracheal cast. The cast was successfully dislodged by the Nd-Yag laser.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, UCLA School of Medicine 90048.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mostafavi
authors.forename: G S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Csathy
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bellack
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Mohsenifar
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D001982:Bronchial Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy; D008297:Male; D009354:Neodymium; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000601:surgery*; D014133:Tracheal Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D014139:Tracheostomy
chemical_list: D009354:Neodymium