Emergency percutaneous tracheostomy in two cancer patients with difficult airway: An alternative to cricothyroidotomy?
Inability to intubate and/or ventilate either due to distorted neck anatomy or restricted mouth opening is uncommon but potentially hazardous clinical scenario in head and neck cancer patients. Emergency cricothyroidotomy in such patients may provide a means of oxygenating the patient, but in practice has limitations and does not establish a definitive airway. We report 2 cases who had distorted face and neck anatomy in which percutaneous tracheostomy was done as an emergency life-saving procedure when other measures to obtain a definitive airway failed.
Department of Critical Care Medicine, Max Superspeciality Hospital, 1, Press Enclave Road, Saket, New Delhi, India.
Prashant
P
Nasa
Department of Critical Care Medicine, Max Superspeciality Hospital, 1, Press Enclave Road, Saket, New Delhi, India.
Akhilesh
A
Singh
Department of Critical Care Medicine, Max Superspeciality Hospital, 1, Press Enclave Road, Saket, New Delhi, India.
Deven
D
Juneja
Department of Critical Care Medicine, Max Superspeciality Hospital, 1, Press Enclave Road, Saket, New Delhi, India.
Nitin
N
Garg
Department of Critical Care Medicine, Max Superspeciality Hospital, 1, Press Enclave Road, Saket, New Delhi, India.
Omender
O
Singh
Department of Critical Care Medicine, Max Superspeciality Hospital, 1, Press Enclave Road, Saket, New Delhi, India.
Yash
Y
Javeri
Cannot intubate and ventilate; difficult airway; emergency percutaneous tracheostomy