DANGER OF FALSE INTUBATION AFTER TRAUMATIC TRACHEAL TRANSECTION

Blunt tracheobronchial injuries may be difficult to diagnosis at prese ntation but can pose major airway difficulties. We present a patient w ith a tracheal transection who underwent intubation with the tip of th e endotracheal tube exiting the trachea and terminating in the mediast inum adjacent to the distal trachea. He underwent surgical repair of t he injury with end-to-end anastomosis. Although intubation over a flex ible fiberoptic bronchoscope is desirable in cases of suspected trache obronchial injury, it may not be feasible. In cases of suspected trach eobronchial injuries with blind endotracheal intubation, the possibili ty of false intubation should always be entertained. (C) 1997 by The S ociety of Thoracic Surgeons