title: Airway management in laryngotracheal injuries from blunt neck trauma in children.
abstract: Pediatric laryngotracheal injuries from blunt neck trauma are extremely rare, but can be potentially catastrophic. Early diagnosis and skillful airway management is critical in avoiding significant morbidity and mortality associated with these cases. We present a case of a patient who suffered a complete tracheal transection and cervical spine fracture following a clothesline injury to the anterior neck. A review of the mechanisms of injury, clinical presentation, initial airway management, and anesthetic considerations in laryngotracheal injuries from blunt neck trauma in children are presented.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Children's Hospital Colorado, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA.
authors.forename: Debnath
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chatterjee
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Lucile Packard Children's Hospital, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Agarwal
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Children's Hospital Colorado, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA.
authors.forename: Lalit
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bajaj
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Ochsner Hospital for Children, New Orleans, LA, USA.
authors.forename: Sarena N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Teng
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Children's Hospital Colorado, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA.
authors.forename: Jeremy D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Prager
mesh_terms: D000732:Androstanols; D018686:Anesthetics, Intravenous; D002648:Child; D005283:Fentanyl; D006801:Humans; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal / Q000379:methods*; D007828:Laryngoscopy / Q000379:methods; D007830:Larynx / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008874:Midazolam; D003473:Neuromuscular Nondepolarizing Agents; D011859:Radiography; D000077123:Rocuronium; D016103:Spinal Fractures / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D014132:Trachea / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery; D014139:Tracheostomy / Q000379:methods*; D014949:Wounds, Nonpenetrating / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*
chemical_list: D000732:Androstanols; D018686:Anesthetics, Intravenous; D003473:Neuromuscular Nondepolarizing Agents; D008874:Midazolam; D005283:Fentanyl; D000077123:Rocuronium
keywords: airway management; blunt neck trauma; laryngotracheal separation; pediatric laryngotracheal injuries; tracheal transection