A new endoscopic technique for intraluminal repair of posterior tracheal laceration.
This report describes an endoscopic repair of a tracheal tear with a newly developed optical needle holder. No surgical access was necessary. A 71-year-old woman with a 5-cm gaping iatrogenic tracheal laceration and a distinctive mediastinal and subcutaneous emphysema was successfully repaired with an endotracheal running suture through a 14-mm rigid tracheoscope. Operation time was 105 minutes, and borderline jet ventilation was used to maintain oxygen saturation. A bronchoscopy 9 days later revealed the tracheal tear had completely closed and the running suture was in place. No postoperative complications were noted.
Welter
Stefan
S
Department of Thoracic Surgery, Ruhrlandklinik, Essen, Germany. stefan.we@t-online.de
Jacobs
Jan
J
Krbek
Thomas
T
Halder
Raimund
R
Stamatis
Georgios
G
D000368:Aged; D019723:Endoscopes; D004724:Endoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D014132:Trachea / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery*