Korean J Anesthesiol.  2011 Jun;60(6):437-439. 10.4097/kjae.2011.60.6.437.

Unexpected difficulty in ventilating the lungs after tracheal intubation: A case report

• Lee JY
• Lee SY
• Shin I
• Chung KH
• Chun DH

• KMID: 1766659
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4097/kjae.2011.60.6.437

Abstract

We experienced difficulty in ventilating the lungs of a patient after tracheal intubation. After intubation, an insufficient amount of tidal volume (VT) was delivered to the patient and the fiberoptic bronchoscopic examination identified partial abutment of the endotracheal tube (ETT) orifice against the tracheal wall. After various attempts to correctly place the ETT, a double-lumen endotracheal tube was placed to achieve a sufficient VT. It is important to notice that even an appropriately placed ETT may get obstructed due to the left sided bevel at its tip.

Keyword

Airway obstruction; Bronchoscopy; Double lumen tube; Tracheal abutment

MeSH Terms

Airway Obstruction
Bronchoscopy
Humans
Hypogonadism
Intubation
Lung
Mitochondrial Diseases
Ophthalmoplegia
Tidal Volume
Hypogonadism
Mitochondrial Diseases
Ophthalmoplegia