Postintubation tracheal stenosis; problems associated with choice of management

We experienced a case with tracheal stenosis due to postintubation damage, or so-called cuff stenosis. A 50-year-old man who attempted suicide by pounding nails into his head and chest using carpenter's tools was treated by endotracheal intubation and immediately underwent emergency surgery in July 2000. The patient was placed on artificial ventilation with oral endotracheal intubation, and a tracheostomy was performed 4 days after the operation. After that, his respiration recovered and he was weaned from the respirator. He was discharged 22 days after surgery with no respiratory symptoms. Two days after discharge, he complained of wheezing and dyspnea. Medical examination revealed that the cervical trachea had a severe circumferential stenosis 2.5 cm from the second tracheal cartilage. On retrospective inspection, the region of stenosis was compatible with the cuff site of the endotracheal tube used for the emergency operation. At first we tried nonoperative treatment, considering his mental state. However, we found that surgical treatment was ultimately necessary. A 2.5 cm sleeve resection of the trachea (5 tracheal cartilage rings) was performed, followed by end-to-end suture using 21 stitches with 4-0 MEDIFIT C thread. Pathologically, the surgical specimen showed degeneration and necrosis of tracheal cartilage with excessive growth of granulation tissue. These findings revealed that the etiologic basis of the tracheal stenosis was attributed to pressure necrosis by the cuff. The postoperative course was uneventful. Sixteen months after the surgery, the granulation tissue had not recurred, and problematic stenosis was not visible in the trachea. In this report, we discussed a reasonable management of postintubation tracheal stenosis. Tracheoplasty has been proposed as the most reliable method for treating tracheal stenosis. However, the best treatment in each case is still somewhat controversial because various nonoperative treatment methods are recently available, including laser phototherapy, argon plasma coagulation, mechanical dilatation, stent replacement, and drug treatment. Therefore, it is very important to judge properly the absolute indication for surgical treatment. If granulations are removed successfully by the above-described nonoperative methods, attempts at repair lead only to regrowth of granulation tissue as long as there is necrotic tracheal cartilage. Thus, the determinant of treatment methods is whether postintubation damage extends to tracheal cartilage or not. For now, there is no accurate diagnostic study for viability of cartilage preoperatively. In the literature, symptoms due to airway stenosis occurred rapidly within one month in the case of patients with necrosis of tracheal cartilage. We concluded that the period between extubation and development of symptoms is very informative in the management of postintubation tracheal stenosis. Surgical approaches should be selected for a patient with a rapid and progressive course after extubation when the patient can tolerate it.     

Extubation of the surgically resected airway — a role for remifentanil and propofol infusions

PURPOSE: To report the use of propofol and remifentanil infusions to facilitate smooth extubation of a surgically resected airway. CLINICAL FEATURES: A 19-yr-old man weighing 85 kg was scheduled for tracheal resection surgery following postintubation tracheal stenosis. He had a relatively long segment (4 cm) of his trachea resected and anastomosed. Postoperatively, he was sedated and electively ventilated for four days in a chin to chest position by stay sutures. In order to reduce any risk of traumatic disruption to the tracheal anastomosis, we planned to extubate his trachea under light general anesthesia. Attempts to extubate his trachea using propofol and alfentanil infusions failed. We used propofol and remifentanil infusions to achieve a state of sedate cooperation and extubated his trachea with fibreoptic bronchoscope guidance. CONCLUSION: Propofol and remifentanil infusions in combination can facilitate successful extubation of the surgically resected airway with high risk of disruption.     

Tracheobronchial injury

We studied 6 cases of tracheobronchial injury due to the blunt chest truma in our department. All patients were male of 19 to 60 years of age. Injured sites were main bronchus in 2, tracheobronchial portion in 2, cervical trachea and main bronchus in 1, cervical trachea in 1. In a case of cervical tracheal injury and 2 cases of tracheobronchial injury, emergent operation was performed on the day of accident. Other cases with the main bronchial injury underwent conservative treatment at first, but subsequent bronchoplasty was necessary for them due to the bronchial stenosis. After the surgery for 2 cases of tracheobronchial injury, mechanical ventilation with double lumen tube was continued to reduce the airway pressure for the anastomotic sites. In conclusion, early surgical treatment is recommended for the airway injury and the respiratory management using double lumen tube after surgery may be helpful in preventing trouble at the anastomosis.     

Anesthetic management of a patient with multiple system atrophy undergoing adrenal gland tumor surgery

We report anesthetic management of a 61-year-old man with multiple system atrophy undergoing adrenal grand tumor surgery. Before surgery, he was sufficiently hydrated and an elastic bandage had been applied to the legs. After epidural catheterization for the postoperative analgesia, general anesthesia was induced with midazolam 7 mg and remifentanil 0.25 microg x kg(-1) x min(-1) and his trachea was intubated. During surgery, general anesthesia was maintained with sevoflurane and remifentanil 0.12-0.25 microg x kg(-1) x min(-1). Hemodynamics was almost stable although transient hypotension occurred during surgery because of bleeding and partial clamping of the inferior vena cava. After surgery, he emerged from anesthesia and tracheal tube was removed uneventfully. However, on the first postoperative day, hypotension and respiratory failure occurred. Noradrenaline infusion was needed to treat hypotension due to vasodilation and reintubation was performed. After several days, hypotension and respiratory failure improved and he was discharged from ICU.     

氟骨症性颈椎管狭窄症手术的麻醉管理

目的探讨氟骨症性颈椎管狭窄症手术的麻醉特点及管理方法。方法对2009年2月～2014年3月5例氟骨症性颈椎管狭窄症的麻醉管理进行总结。2例术前颈椎活动严重受限,改良Mallampati分级Ⅲ级,考虑可能为困难气管插管,清醒表面麻醉下行纤维支气管镜引导气管插管;余3例为非困难气管插管,行快速诱导直视下Macintosh喉镜气管插管。结果5例均安全度过围术期,无死亡。1例因呼吸功能不全,术后转入ICU病房,次日拔管;余4例术后转入PACU拔管。术后均无麻醉相关并发症,顺利出院。结论氟骨症性颈椎管狭窄症患者困难气道发生率高,气道管理是围术期麻醉管理的核心问题。     

An unusual cause of trachael stenosis

PURPOSE: To report a large chronic tracheal foreign body, causing tracheal stenosis in an 11-yr-old girl. CLINICAL FEATURES: The history was suggestive of obstructive airways disease with secondary bronchiectasis. Physical findings were crepitations and rhonchi all over the chest. Blood gases were normal. Chest X-ray showed bronchiectasis and a ventilation perfusion scan identified a tracheo-esophageal fistula. During anesthesia to confirm this, intubation and ventilation were difficult because of tracheal stenosis. The hypoventilation resulted in severe hypercarbia and acidosis. A subsequent CT scan showed a stenosis of 2 mm diameter and 1 cm length in the middle third of trachea, bronchiectasis, and an air filled pocket between the trachea and esophagus. PFT showed a severe obstruction. Antitubercular treatment which was started on the presumptive diagnosis of tuberculous stenosis and tracheoesophageal fistula caused a delay with deterioration of patient from intermittent dyspnea to orthopnea with severe hypecarbia and acidosis. The anesthetic management of the tracheal reconstruction was difficult due to her moribund condition even after medical treatment, the short length of the trachea above the obstruction, its severity and lack of resources for alternative techniques. A large foreign body was found lying obliquely in the trachea dividing it into an anterior narrow airway mimicking a stenosed trachea, and a wider posterior blind passage. CONCLUSION: The anesthetic consequences were peculiar to the unexpected etiology of the stenosis and poor general condition of the patient. Minor details like the tracheal tube bevel and ventilatory pattern became vitally important.     

Tracheal rupture in a child with blunt chest injury

A 10-year-old boy fell from a tree and sustained blunt injury to his chest. He was brought to the hospital (6 h later) with difficulty in breathing and inability to speak. There was a bruise on the neck and extensive subcutaneous emphysema over the neck and chest and decreased air entry over the right hemithorax. Radiographs revealed a right-sided pneumothorax, pneumomediastinum and tracheal deviation. An intercostal drain (with underwater seal) was inserted and he was transferred to the operating room for bronchoscopy. Anesthesia was induced with IV midazolam and ketamine. The trachea was intubated orally and anesthesia maintained with spontaneous breathing of halothane in oxygen. Flexible fiberoptic bronchoscopy performed via the tracheal tube revealed no injury to bronchi or carina. Bronchoscopy through the tracheal tube withdrawn to the level of the vocal cords revealed a 1-cm long posterior longitudinal tear approximately 2-3 cm below the cords. The surgeons planned a definitive tracheostomy distal to the traumatic tracheal opening. This was difficult and initially unsuccessful because of subcutaneous emphysema. A ureteric catheter was introduced through the tracheal tube and a tracheostomy tube mounted on the fiberoptic bronchoscope, which was then inserted through the surgical tracheostome. This followed the ureteric catheter into the distal trachea and the trachea was successfully cannulated. We review the mechanism of tracheal injuries with special reference to its occurrence in children with blunt injury. We discuss the airway management in these potentially life-threatening injuries.     

Tracheal intubation in a patient with undetectable tracheal narrowing on chest radiography

We report here a 59-year-old man with a saber-sheath tracheal narrowing who was scheduled to undergo pharyngeal tumor resection under general anesthesia. The tracheal narrowing was not clearly detected by chest radiography during the preoperative examination, but it was visible on axial computed tomography (CT) images taken earlier for diagnostic purposes. Following fiber optic examination of the narrowed segment with the patient under anesthesia, the tube was inserted into the trachea using an Airway Scope. The tube was deliberately advanced into the trachea and was able to pass through the stenosis without any resistance. On postoperative radiological analysis, three-dimensional reconstruction of the trachea and virtual bronchoscopic images revealed a saber-sheath type tracheomalacia located from below the cricoid cartilage to the carina. The membranous wall had a normal width. This case indicates that chest radiographs may occasionally be inadequate for evaluating asymptomatic patients with tracheomalacia. If CT images have been taken for diagnostic purposes, they should be examined together with the chest radiograph. Digital chest radiography with edge enhancement may become a useful tool in the preoperative detection and evaluation of undetectable tracheal narrowing on conventional chest films.     

Use of Parker Flex-Tip tracheal tube in a patient with Kniest dysplasia

A 37-year-old man with Kniest dysplasia and thoracic myelopathy was scheduled for T3-12 laminectomy. Kniest dysplasia is a severe chondrodysplasia characterized by short trunk and limbs. Awake fiberoptic intubation was attempted to prevent airway obstruction because we had predicted his difficult airway. During fiberoptic tracheal intubation, we easily succeeded in the insertion of the fiberscope itself into the trachea, but were not able to insert the tip of a reinforced tube into the trachea, because the tip of the reinforced tube impinged on laryngeal structures. We succeeded in placing the Parker Flex-Tip tracheal tube into the trachea. We considered that the Parker Flex-Tip tube, having a tip that reduces the gap between the fiberscope and the inside of the tube, resulted in success of the passage of the tube into the trachea during fiberoptic intubation.     

Laryngeal mask application for a case of unpredictable adult tracheal stenosis

A 69-year-old man with chronic renal failure was scheduled for artero-venous shunt surgery for sustained hemodialysis. On the pre-anesthesia interview, the patient complained of no respiratory symptom. Chest x-ray showed some tracheal deviation. There was no past history of the respiratory system such as bronchitis, bronchial asthma, tumor, trauma or previous tracheal intubation. General anesthesia was induced smoothly with thiopental and suxamethonium. Face mask ventilation could be done easily. The vocal cord was exposed fully by standard McIntosh laryngoscope. However, a neither ID 7.5 nor 6.5 mm tracheal tube could be inserted into the trachea. Then, a size 4.0 laryngeal mask airway (LMA) was inserted smoothly and ventilation was maintained adequately. The surgery was done smoothly. Seven days after, bronchofiber scopic findings showed tracheal stenosis. The cause was unknown but not from inflammation or tumor. The patient complained no respiratory distress after the surgery. In such unpredictable tracheal stenosis with easy mask ventilation, LMA is a considerable option for respiratory management.     

气管切除与人工气管重建手术25例麻醉方法分析

目的 分析讨论气管切除吻合或人工气管替代等手术的麻醉方式和结果.方法 对采用不同手术方式治疗的25例气管良、恶性疾病患者的麻醉和手术过程进行了回顾性分析.其中良性疾病患者10例,恶性疾病患者15例.全组患者气管管腔均有不同程度的狭窄,严重者伴有明显呼吸困难.气管病变长度2.0～7.5cm.气管切除最长者8 cm,行一期吻合者14例,行人工气管替代者7例.该组患者采用单纯全身麻醉气管插管者13例,同时行心肺转流者2例;经已有的气管切开行全身麻醉者8例,在局部麻醉下行气管切开后全身麻醉者2例;行高频喷射通气辅助者2例.气管切断后,均需经远端气管或对侧主支气管内插管维持麻醉和通气.结果 全组患者均顺利完成手术,无麻醉和手术死亡.2例患者于气管切开后向左主支气管插管困难,1例患者向左主支气管插管过深,仅余左下肺通气,造成血氧饱和度下降;1例患者术毕改换无气囊导管时造成吻合口裂开;均经处理后好转.结论 气管手术麻醉风险高,个性化、周密的麻醉和手术方案以及麻醉医师与手术医师的密切配合,是保证麻醉和手术安全的关键.     

General anesthesia in a case of right-sided aortic arch with Kommerell's diverticulum diagnosed on preoperative examination

Kommerell's diverticulum is a rare anomaly of the aortic arch. A 59-year-old man was scheduled for open reduction and internal fixation of his right proximal tibial fracture under general anesthesia. We diagnosed right-sided aortic arch by the chest X-ray and thoracic computed tomography. His trachea and esophagus were compressed by the aortic arch. He had complained of no dyspnea or dysphagia. Respiratory difficulty might be caused by muscle relaxants, intermittent positive pressure ventilation, change of intrathoracic pressure, postural change and overloaded infusion during general anesthesia in a case of right-sided aortic arch. We performed lumbar epidural anesthesia and inserted an i-gel after general anesthesia induction preserving spontaneous respiration in preparation for controlled ventilation or tracheal intubation via an i-gel. We could accomplish the operation uneventfully and he was discharged on POD 53. A supraglottic airway such as an i-gel was a useful device in the present case of right-sided aortic arch with Kommerell's diverticulum.     

Airway management of a child after tracheal resection

PURPOSE: To report a strategy for minimizing airway risks and optimizing airway management in the post-reanastomosis phase of the anesthetic management of a patient undergoing tracheal reconstruction. CLINICAL FEATURES: A 14-yr-old boy with squamous cell carcinoma of his trachea underwent a tracheal resection and end-to-end reanastomosis for removal of tumour. This procedure was accomplished through a right thoracotomy. A thoracic epidural had been placed before induction of anesthesia through which 3 mg morphine and 10 ml bupivacaine 0.25% with epinephrine were administered during surgery. After chest wall closure the patient was allowed to recover spontaneous respiration and the trachea was extubated during deep anesthesia to eliminate airway response with coughing which might have stressed the anastomosis. An infusion of bupivacaine 0.0625% and morphine (100 microg x ml(-1)) was maintained until the third postoperative day. The patient had an unremarkable postoperative course and was discharged on the eighth postoperative day. CONCLUSION: In this case thoracic epidural analgesia and tracheal extubation during deep anesthesia was a safe and effective strategy for minimizing airway risks and optimizing airway management in after the reanastomosis phase of tracheal resection.     

Malignant fibrous histiocytoma of the trachea

We experienced a rare case of malignant fibrous histiocytoma (MFH) arising in the trachea. A 24-year-old man with severe dyspnea had a well-defined mass in the cervical trachea on chest X-ray examination. Chest computed tomography showed a 2.0-cm diameter mass originating in the right-posterior wall of the trachea. The tumor occupied over 90% of the lumen. A radical excision of the tumor (tracheal resection) with tracheal plasty was performed. The microscopic diagnosis was MFH. The patient remains well, without evidence of recurrence, 3 months after surgery.     

A modified method for intubation of a patient with ankylosing spondylitis using intubating laryngeal mask airway (LMA-Fastrach)--a case report

We present an instance of successful use of an intubating laryngeal mask airway (LMA-Fastrach) and a Cook airway exchanger (CAE) for ventilation and intubation in a patient with severe ankylosing spondilitis (AS) receiving total hip arthroplasty. This measure may serve as an effective alternative for airway management in patients with difficult airway. A 61-year-old male was scheduled for right total hip arthroplasty because of degenerative osteoarthritis. He had been suffering from extensive ankylosing spondylitis, with the cervical spine markedly fixed in anterior flexion. Besides he could not open his mouth widely (35 mm when fully open) also because of ankylosis of jaw. Although we advised an awake fiberoptic tracheal intubation for anesthesia but he refused owing to a previous painful experience. After induction of anesthesia with glycopyrrolate, fentanyl, thiamylal sodium and succinylcholine, we inserted a # 5 Fastrach ILMA for primary airway maintenance. Then through the lumen of the ILMA we introduced the CAE as a guide for endotracheal tube (ETT) intubation. After applying the RAPI-FIT adapter to the CAE, we connected it to the capnography monitor for the confirmation of airway. We finally inserted an endotracheal tube into the trachea using the CAE as a guide. The whole procedure was uneventful and smooth. In sum, the modified Fastrach intubation method may facilitate tracheal intubation in patients with severe ankylosing spondilitis. It may be an alternative way for successful airway management in patients with difficult airway.     

Airway management in tracheal stenosis caused by malignant goiter

We report a case of malignant goiter with severe tracheal stenosis. The patient was a 61-year-old female, who had orthopnea on admission. Radiological examinations revealed a tracheal stenosis extending from 4.5 cm to 8 cm below the glottis; the smallest caliber being 5 mm. On the seventh day after admission, the patient complained of dyspnea even while sitting. An emergency tracheotomy was scheduled. While the patient was awake in a sitting position, a fiberscope was inserted endotracheally to confirm the intact inner surface of the trachea, and then an armored endotracheal tube (outer diameter 9.2 mm, inner diameter 6.5 mm) was inserted. Unexpectedly, the tube could be advanced through the stenosis without resistance. After induction of general anesthesia, the patient was placed in a supine position, and a tracheotomy was performed. This case demonstrates that, while intubation of the trachea through a stenosis is sometimes dangerous, it may be indicated when the inner surface of the trachea is intact and a tube with an inner diameter greater than 5 mm can then be placed.     

Resection of thyroid carcinoma infiltrating the trachea.

We have treated surgically 11 patients with thyroid carcinoma that had infiltrated into the trachea. Three patients had primary tumours, and eight had recurrent tumours after previous operations. Sleeve resection of trachea was performed where thyroid carcinoma had proliferated; the trachea was reconstructed by end-to-end anastomosis. In two patients 10 rings of the trachea were resected. In three patients the anterior half of the cricoid cartilage was resected along with the cervical trachea. In one patient tracheoplasty was performed using partial extracorporeal circulation because severe tracheal stenosis prevented endotracheal intubation. Two of the 11 patients died from the surgery and one from disseminated metastases. One patient who had undergone tracheal resection for thyroid carcinoma three years and five months previously had a recurrence of the tumour in the trachea adjacent to the anastomosis, and a second tracheal resection was performed. In three patients postoperative laryngeal stenosis occurred. Five patients are alive and well two years and one month to four years and seven months after their operations. The histological pattern of the tumour was papillary adenocarcinoma in all 11 patients.     

Tracheal dilatation followed by stenosis in Mounier–Kuhn syndrome

A patient with previously undiagnosed Mounier-Kuhn syndrome (tracheobronchomegaly) was admitted with a head injury after a fall. The trachea was intubated with an oral tracheal tube with high-volume low-pressure cuff. The intracuff pressure was within the normal safe range recommended by the manufacturer. However, the patient developed tracheal dilatation on the second day after intubation. The trachea was extubated on the 15th day, and it was noticed 48 hours later that the patient was developing a tracheal stenosis at the site of the previous dilatation. The stenosis was so severe that the patient underwent resection-anastomosis surgery of his stenotic tracheal segment 2 months after extubation. It may be preferable in patients with Mounier-Kuhn syndrome who require mechanical ventilation to intubate the trachea with an uncuffed tube and to pack the throat to decrease the chances of gas leak and inhalation.     

Traumatic cervical tracheal disruption: Report of two cases

We report herein the cases of two patients who suffered traumatic tracheal disruption, both of whom under-went successful surgical treatment. The first patient was a 48-year-old truck driver who suffered severe dyspnea after jamming his neck in a truck door. An endotracheal tube was unable to be inserted due to bleeding and thus, an emergency tracheostomy was performed. On admission massive subcutaneous emphysema was noted in the neck and anterior chest, and tracheal disruption was confirmed by a lateral neck X-ray, computed tomography (CT), and fiberscopy. An emergency end-to-end anastomosis of the trachea with insertion of a T-type silicon tube into the lower trachea was performed. The second patient was a 36-year-old man who suffered severe dyspnea after having his neck caught in a chain while driving a motorcycle. On admission, marked subcutaneous emphysema in the neck and paradoxical movement of the trachea were noted. Tracheal disruption was confirmed by a lateral neck X-ray and CT, and a similar operation to that of the first patient was performed. This type of injury is rare; however, lateral neck X-ray, CT, and fiberscopy proved extremely useful for making an accurate diagnosis following which successful emergency surgery was able to be performed, achieving good long-term results.     

Airway management of a patient with tracheal stenosis for surgery in the prone position

PURPOSE: When tracheal intubation is required in a patient with an uncollapsible tracheal stenosis, the tip of the tube is usually positioned proximal to the stenosis. Only the tip of the tube may be in the trachea and the tube can be dislodged. We report the successful airway management of a patient with an uncollapsible tracheal stenosis who underwent cranial surgery in the prone position. CLINICAL FEATURES: A 49-yr-old man with the saber-sheath trachea (stenosis of the entire intrathoracic trachea) was scheduled for a posterior fossa surgery for resection of a cerebellar tumour. Anesthesia was induced by allowing the patient to inhale spontaneously oxygen and increasing concentrations of sevoflurane up to 5%, without airway obstruction. After injection of vecuronium, an airway exchange catheter was inserted orally into the trachea. A laryngeal mask airway was then inserted with the exchange catheter in place and, with the aid of a fibrescope, a 6.0-mm reinforced tracheal tube was passed through the laryngeal mask into the trachea so that the tip of the tube was about 1 cm proximal to the stenosis. The patient was turned to the prone position and the operation proceeded uneventfully. CONCLUSIONS: The laryngeal mask and an airway exchange catheter were used as backups to tracheal intubation in this patient with tracheal stenosis in the prone position. Should the trachea be extubated accidentally, it may be re-intubated through the laryngeal mask and ventilation may be possible through the laryngeal mask or the exchange catheter.