Aspiration of Fractured Tracheostomy Tube in a Prone Positioned COVID-19 Patient: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Overview

Journal Turk J Anaesthesiol Reanim

Publisher Galenos Publishing House

Specialty Anesthesiology

Date 2023 Jul 17

PMID 37455433

Authors

Busra Tezcan

Asiye Yavuz

Bilge Taplamaci Ertugrul

Abdulaziz Kaplan

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

A 61-year-old male patient diagnosed with Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) was managed with tracheostomy and intermittent prone positioning in the intensive care unit. After a sudden deterioration, examination of tracheostomy tube (TT) and X-ray of the chest revealed that he had aspirated the fractured TT. The fractured tube was removed through the tracheostomy stoma using a rigid ventilating bronchoscope and forceps. Prone positioning is a beneficial postural therapy capable of improving patient oxygenation. However, it has some complications, like unplanned extubation and facial tissue injury. Percutaneous tracheostomy is also a valuable and safe procedure and has been increasingly performed in critical care patients, including those who suffer from COVID-19 ARDS. Fractures and aspiration of a tracheostomy tube can occur anytime after tracheostomy. We think prone positioning may contribute to the rupture and aspiration of the tracheostomy tube in this study.

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