Airway obstruction by an unexpected equipment damage.
Intubating introducers are often used to facilitate difficult endotracheal intubation. We report a case in which a Frova catheter was used for insertion of a laser-resistant endotracheal tube and in which a strip of plastic was shaved off from the catheter. The plastic strip formed a convolute mass, causing relevant airway obstruction. Clinicians should be aware of this potentially dangerous complication and should be cautious in using Frova intubating introducers in combination with laser-resistant tubes.
Department of Anesthesiology, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Electronic address: p.schober@vumc.nl.
Patrick
P
Schober
Department of Anesthesiology, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Stephan A
SA
Loer
Department of Anesthesiology, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Lothar A
LA
Schwarte
D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000209:etiology*; D057785:Catheters / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004867:Equipment Design; D004868:Equipment Failure; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D007431:Intraoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology*; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal / Q000295:instrumentation*; D008875:Middle Aged
Airway obstruction; Equipment failure; Foreign bodies; Intraoperative complications; Intratracheal; Intubation