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Abstract Background Tracheo-innominate artery fistula (TIF) is a life-threatening complication of tracheostomy. We describe perioperative management for innominate artery transection in a case with TIF. Case presentation A 4-year-old Japanese female with Marshal-Smith syndrome presented for management of TIF. She underwent tracheostomy at the age of 3 months and an uncuffed tracheostomy tube was inserted. One month before admission to our hospital, intermittent tracheal bleeding, suggesting TIF, occurred. Although we considered to change to a cuffed endotracheal tube, craniofacial abnormality suggested difficult oral intubation, and there was a possibility of rebleeding. Finally, innominate artery transection was performed under total intravenous anesthesia without changing the tracheostomy tube. Surgery completed uneventfully and she received mechanical ventilation under sedation for a day, followed by weaning without complications. Conclusions A cuffed tracheostomy tube should have been inserted before surgery for effective hemostasis against sudden bleeding from TIF even though conversion to oral intubation was difficult.

Background: Tracheo-innominate artery fistula (TIF) is a life-threatening complication of tracheostomy. We describe perioperative management for innominate artery transection in a case with TIF. Case presentation: A 4-year-old Japanese female with Marshal-Smith syndrome presented for management of TIF. She underwent tracheostomy at the age of 3 months and an uncuffed tracheostomy tube was inserted. One month before admission to our hospital, intermittent tracheal bleeding, suggesting TIF, occurred. Although we considered to change to a cuffed endotracheal tube, craniofacial abnormality suggested difficult oral intubation, and there was a possibility of rebleeding. Finally, innominate artery transection was performed under total intravenous anesthesia without changing the tracheostomy tube. Surgery completed uneventfully and she received mechanical ventilation under sedation for a day, followed by weaning without complications. Conclusions: A cuffed tracheostomy tube should have been inserted before surgery for effective hemostasis against sudden bleeding from TIF even though conversion to oral intubation was difficult. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]