title: [Loss of airway after tracheotomy or laryngectomy, an algorithm for practice].
abstract: A 71-year-old man underwent facial reconstructive surgery and a tracheotomy after nasal carcinoma. Several hours after surgery, accidental decannulation occurred and the patient died because the airway could not be resecured in time. This incident led to the implementation of an algorithm for emergency airway management in patients with a surgical airway after tracheotomy or laryngectomy. All such patients have an information sheet attached to their bed, together with the appropriate algorithm. This helps staff to provide care in a standardised manner in cases of airway emergency and prevents fixation errors or omission of treatment options.
authors: Radboudumc, Nijmegen.
authors: Marinka M H
authors: MM
authors: Stam
authors: Hettie
authors: H
authors: Custers
authors: Willem
authors: W
authors: Weijs
authors: Gert Jan
authors: GJ
authors: Scheffer
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000465:Algorithms; D020878:Device Removal / Q000009:adverse effects; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000379:methods* / Q000458:organization & administration; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D006801:Humans; D007825:Laryngectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D009669:Nose Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D014140:Tracheotomy / Q000009:adverse effects*