Post-intubation pulmonary embolism and tracheal stenosis: a case report and review of the literature.
Tracheal stenosis may be attributed to several conditions including trauma, infection, tumour or congenital and collagen vascular diseases. Despite improvement in the design of tracheal tubes, however, tracheal stenosis following intubation still remains an important cause for tracheal obstruction, which may be life threatening and often misdiagnosed. On the other hand, studies have exerted the impact of mechanical ventilation as a risk factor for pulmonary embolism. Here, we describe for the first time, an otherwise healthy patient who was mechanically ventilated due to a labor accident and developed acute pulmonary embolism that was further complicated with post-intubation tracheal stenosis. The patient was treated with anticoagulant therapy and oral corticosteroids and was further referred to a specialist centre for consideration for non-surgical endoscopic treatment.
Tzouvelekis
Argyris
A
Department of Pneumonology, Medical School, Democritus University of Thrace, Greece. atzouvelekis@yahoo.gr
Kouliatsis
George
G
Oikonomou
Anastasia
A
Trakada
Georgia
G
Froudarakis
Marios
M
Steiropoulos
Paschalis
P
Bouros
Demosthenes
D
D000062:Accidents, Occupational; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D012121:Respiration, Artificial / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014135:Tracheal Stenosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D055815:Young Adult
D000925:Anticoagulants