title: Fracture at fenestration of synthetic tracheostomy tube resulting in a tracheobronchial airway foreign body.
abstract: Tracheostomy tube fracture resulting in airway obstruction is a relatively rare but serious complication. We report the case of a 48-year-old man whose tracheostomy tube fractured and became lodged in the right primary bronchus. Recommendations are made for tracheostomy care to help prevent similar complications in patients with an indwelling tracheostomy tube.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, 78284-7777, USA.
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Krempl
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Otto
mesh_terms: D001980:Bronchi; D004868:Equipment Failure; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009767:Obesity, Morbid / Q000150:complications; D012891:Sleep Apnea Syndromes / Q000628:therapy; D014139:Tracheostomy / Q000295:instrumentation*