[Perforation of the trachea. A lethal complication following tracheostomy prolonged ventilation caused by faulty material (author's transl)].
Among 404 tracheostomies performed for long term ventilation within the last 15 years the first lethal complication (the overall complication rate being 2,97%) was observed: perforation of the membraneous part of the tracheal wall. The complication is directly related to the substitution of a "high-pressure"-cuff tracheostomy tube by a "low-pressure"-cuff-model. Decubital ulceration by the high pressure cuff, injury caused by the stiff uncoated tip of the low pressure model, and a blow-up mechanism by an excentric gas stream are discussed as eventual causal factors of this complication.
D000328:Adult; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012128:Respiratory Distress Syndrome / Q000473:pathology; D013742:Tetanus / Q000628:therapy; D014132:Trachea / Q000293:injuries* / Q000473:pathology; D014140:Tracheotomy / Q000295:instrumentation*
Trachealperforation. Eine materialbedingte tödliche Komplikation nach Tracheostomie zur Langzeitbeatmung.