1. Acute fatal haemorrhage during percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy
- Author
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David Shlugman, R. Satya-Krishna, and L. Loh
- Subjects
medicine.medical_specialty ,Percutaneous ,medicine.medical_treatment ,Subclavian Artery ,Right subclavian artery ,Hemorrhage ,law.invention ,Fatal Outcome ,Tracheostomy ,Traumatic subdural haematoma ,Tracheotomy ,Risk Factors ,law ,Cerebral Hemorrhage, Traumatic ,medicine ,Humans ,Aged ,Aged, 80 and over ,Vascular disease ,business.industry ,Arteriovenous malformation ,medicine.disease ,Intensive care unit ,Surgery ,Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine ,Anesthesia ,Thyroidectomy ,Female ,Complication ,business - Abstract
Percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy (PDT) is associated with a number of life-threatening complications. We present a case of massive and fatal arterial haemorrhage that occurred in the intensive care unit during an elective PDT on an 86-year-old woman following earlier evacuation of a traumatic subdural haematoma. An avulsed right subclavian artery was found at post mortem. Previous thyroid surgery and aberrant arterial anatomy contributed to the fatal outcome. Br J Anaesth 2003; 90: 517–20
- Published
- 2003
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