| CASE REPORT |
|
| Year : 2010 | Volume
: 4
| Issue : 2 | Page : 108-110 |
|
|
Endotracheal tube defects: Hidden causes of airway obstruction
Khalid Sofi, Kariman El-Gammal
Department of Anesthesia, King Abdul-Aziz Medical City, King Fahad National Guard Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Correspondence Address:
Khalid Sofi
Department of Anaesthesia, MC 1311, King Abdulaziz Medical City, King Fahad National Guard Hospital, P.O Box 22490, Riyadh 11426
Saudi Arabia
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |
DOI: 10.4103/1658-354X.65123
|
|
|
Manufacturing defects of endotracheal tube (ETT) are still encountered in anesthesia practice. Many such defects go unnoticed during routine inspection prior to their use. Such defects in ETT may lead to partial or complete airway obstruction in an intubated patient. We report a case of partial airway obstruction with a prepacked, single use, uncuffed ETT due to a manufacturing defect in the form of a plastic meniscus at the distal end of the tube. This case report highlights the significance of standard monitoring of ventilation and the role of a vigilant clinician in detecting such defects in avoiding critical events as can arise from the use of such defective ETTs. It also emphasizes the need for double checking ETTs prior to their use. |
|
|
|
| [FULL TEXT] [PDF]* |
|
 |
|
