title: Cricothyroidotomy on the scene in a patient with severe facial trauma and difficult neck anatomy.
abstract: We present a case of a patient with severe facial trauma who was treated at the scene by a physician-staffed trauma life support team. Because of massive oropharyngeal bleeding in addition to a difficult neck anatomy in a very obese patient, a cannot-intubate, cannot-ventilate situation occurred. Control of the airway could finally be achieved by surgical cricothyroidotomy. The current literature concerning emergency cricothyroidotomy is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Medical University of Graz, 8036 Graz, Austria. Electronic address: sylvia.archan@meduni-graz.at.
authors.forename: Sylvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Archan
authors.affiliation: Department of Traumatology, Medical University of Graz, 8036 Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: Rainer
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gumpert
authors.affiliation: Sanatorium Hansa, 8010 Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: Bernhard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kügler
authors.affiliation: Department of Traumatology, Medical University of Graz, 8036 Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: Franz Josef
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Seibert
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Medical University of Graz, 8036 Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: Gerhard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Prause
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic; D001642:Bicycling; D003413:Cricoid Cartilage / Q000601:surgery*; D005145:Face; D006801:Humans; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009333:Neck / Q000601:surgery; D013957:Thyroid Cartilage / Q000601:surgery*; D014140:Tracheotomy / Q000379:methods*; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000628:therapy*