Life-Threatening Acute Airway Obstruction

摘要

Jugular venous puncture as part of monitoring central venous pressure and advancing pulmonary artery catheters and pacing wires is invaluable in operating rooms and critical care units. This technique is not without complications. Various complications of jugular puncture have been described; among these, airway obstruction is potentially life threatening and the most dreaded one. Various causes for airway obstruction have been cited in the literature; however, tracheal deviation caused by inadvertent extravasation of intravenous fluid administered through the central venous catheter causing airway obstruction is hitherto unreported. The authors describe a case of acute airway obstruction immediately after elective extubation, necessitating tracheostomy; the patient recovered without sequelae.