Korean J Anesthesiol.  1997 Jul;33(1):178-181. 10.4097/kjae.1997.33.1.178.

Cervical Subcutaneous Emphysema Occured by Unexpected Difficult Endotracheal Intubation: A case report

• Park TS
• Paek SH
• Rho WS
• Kim BI
• Cho SK
• Lee SH

• KMID: 2240215
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4097/kjae.1997.33.1.178

Abstract

Subcutaneous emphysema is one of the rare complication of tracheal intubation and it's mechanism has been known as airleakage to subcutaneous tissue from the perforated site of larynx, trachea and esophagus by the trauma of laryngoscopic blade, stylet and endotracheal tube. We experienced a case of subcutaneous emphysema during unexpected difficult endotracheal intubation. At the initial laparoscopic examination, the patient's laryngeal view was grade IV of Cormack and Lehane's calssification. After several trial of the intubation, cervical subcutaneous emphysema developed by the trauma of laryngoscopic blade, stylet and endotracheal tube, even though failed to confirm the perforated site at postanesthesia one day.

Keyword

Complications, cervical subcutaneous emphysema; Intubation; Tracheal, difficult

MeSH Terms

Esophagus
Intubation
Intubation, Intratracheal*
Larynx
Subcutaneous Emphysema*
Subcutaneous Tissue
Trachea