title: Acute airway obstruction by a sheared endotracheal intubation stylet sheath in a premature infant.
abstract: Airway obstruction by foreign bodies is rarely encountered in the neonatal intensive care unit. The majority of those cases reported are iatrogenic. This paper reports a case of acute airway obstruction in a preterm infant caused by a sheared plastic sheath of an endotracheal intubation stylet used during tracheal intubation. The small airway of this premature infant posed a challenge to retrieve the foreign body and to ensure adequate gas exchange at the same time. The risks and benefits of available therapeutic options for this rare, but serious complication are reviewed.
authors.affiliation: 1Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, University of California Davis Medical Center, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
authors.forename: H-L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Chiou
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Diaz
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Orlino
authors.forename: F R
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Poulain
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D001999:Bronchoscopy; D004868:Equipment Failure; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007235:Infant, Premature, Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D019102:Infant, Very Low Birth Weight; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation*; D008297:Male; D010969:Plastics; D011859:Radiography; D012127:Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy; D014132:Trachea / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging
chemical_list: D010969:Plastics