FATAL BALL-VALVE AIRWAY-OBSTRUCTION BY AN EXTENSIVE BLOOD-CLOT DURINGMECHANICAL VENTILATION

A ball-valve airway obstruction by a blood clot cast of almost the who le bronchial tree occurred in a small-cell lung cancer patient, who ha d been on mechanical ventilation for 9 days. Chest radiographs reveale d overinflated lungs, attempts to remove the cast via fibreoptic bronc hoscopy were unsuccessful and the patient died, A postmortem extractio n of the clot was performed with a rigid tube. This case is rare becau se of absence of severe haemoptysis and lung volume reduction.