title: Iatrogenic intracranial placement of nasopharyngeal airway after trauma.
abstract: CT images of an 18-year-old woman who had sustained head trauma after a motor vehicle accident are presented demonstrating the iatrogenic intracranial placement of a nasopharyngeal airway. Treatment required a decompressive craniectomy, removal of the nasopharyngeal airway under direct vision, and duraplasty. The patient made a good neurological recovery, but did require ongoing medical treatment for diabetes insipidus. The case illustrates the importance of avoiding intranasal placement of any object in a patient with head trauma and suspected skull base fractures prior to diagnostic imaging.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Neurological Surgery , University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health , Madison , WI , USA ;
authors.forename: Kyle I
authors.initials: KI
authors.lastname: Swanson
authors.affiliation: b Semmes-Murphy Clinic , Memphis , TN , USA.
authors.forename: Christopher M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Nickele
authors.affiliation: a Department of Neurological Surgery , University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health , Madison , WI , USA ;
authors.forename: John S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Kuo
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic; D000293:Adolescent; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D056424:Decompressive Craniectomy / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007049:Iatrogenic Disease / Q000517:prevention & control; D007427:Intracranial Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D019291:Skull Base / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Diabetes insipidus; head trauma; nasal trumpet; nasopharyngeal airway