Higher Education Commons^™

Complicated Extubation In A Patient With An Obstructing Tracheobronchial Thrombus, Milan Terzic, Daniel Aintabi, Omar Hegazy

Graduate Medical Education Research Journal

Endotracheal intubation is an effective and rapid technique used as a standard practice for airway management. Airway injury or complications could be a significant cause of morbidity and mortality for patients. Tracheobronchial obstruction secondary to thrombus formation are life threatening complications of traumatic intubations. We present a case of complicated extubation resulting in cardiac arrest in a patient with an obstructing tracheobronchial thrombus. The patient, an 83-year-old female, with atrial fibrillation presented for neck pain. During CT imaging, she developed ventricular fibrillation cardiac arrest. Return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) was achieved after three cycles of compressions and defibrillation and the …