title: Death following elective tracheostomy decannulation in chronic neonatal lung disease.
abstract: Widespread air leak as a fatal complication of elective tracheostomy decannulation in a child aged 20 months with chronic neonatal lung disease (CNLD) is reported. We discuss likely mechanisms for the development of air leak following tracheostomy tube removal in young children with obstructive airways disease and suggest that this procedure be performed in an intensive care or high dependency unit.
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, New Children's Hospital, Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fitzgerald
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Benjamin
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Van Asperen
mesh_terms: D017809:Fatal Outcome; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal; D008173:Lung Diseases, Obstructive / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D014139:Tracheostomy