Intracranial insertion of a nasopharyngeal airway in a patient with craniofacial trauma.
Intracranial insertion of a nasopharyngeal airway is an unusual and catastrophic complication of airway management in the patient with a severe closed head injury. We present an unfortunate 43-year-old patient with intracranial insertion of a nasopharyngeal airway during trauma resuscitation. The nasopharyngeal airway was removed. Attempts to resuscitate the patient were continued, but were eventually unsuccessful. Blind nasopharyngeal airway insertion may result in iatrogenic injury when used in the head-injured patient. Oropharyngeal airways may be used to assist with ventilation. However, it is preferable to definitively secure the airway through inline endotracheal intubation or with surgical techniques in this patient population. Should violation of the skull base occur, removal is accomplished in the controlled environment of the operating room.
Martin
Jonathan E
JE
National Capitol Consortium Neurosurgery, Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington, DC 20307, USA.
Mehta
Rajesh
R
Aarabi
Bizhan
B
Ecklund
James E
JE
Martin
Amy H
AH
Ling
Geoffrey S F
GS
D000063:Accidents, Traffic; D000328:Adult; D006259:Craniocerebral Trauma / Q000628:therapy*; D005151:Facial Injuries / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D009049:Motorcycles; D012121:Respiration, Artificial; D012151:Resuscitation / Q000379:methods; D014139:Tracheostomy