Anesthetic Management of Iatrogenic Tracheal Injury: A Case Report

TL;DR

This case report discusses the anesthetic challenges and successful management of a rare tracheal injury following an oesophagectomy in a 46-year-old male.

Contribution

The paper highlights the unique anesthetic strategies used in managing a life-threatening tracheal perforation post-oesophagectomy.

Findings

Tracheal perforation following oesophagectomy is rare but life-threatening and requires early intervention.

A left-sided double-lumen tube was effective in securing the airway during emergency repair of the tracheal injury.

Anesthetic management involved addressing airway challenges, ventilation, and hemodynamic instability.

Abstract

Tracheal perforation following oesophagectomy is a very rare and occasionally life-threatening condition that requires a high degree of suspicion and early intervention for optimal patient outcomes. This article presents a case report of a 46-year-old male who presented with respiratory failure secondary to tracheal perforation at the level of carina following a two-stage oesophagectomy. He underwent a second emergency procedure; the airway was secured with a left-sided double-lumen tube, and tracheal perforation was successfully repaired. This case report will briefly cover the challenges and difficulties faced by anesthetists in the airway management, ventilation, and hemodynamic instability of such patients.

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