Published online May 16, 2022. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v10.i14.4594
Peer-review started: October 15, 2021
First decision: January 11, 2022
Revised: January 20, 2022
Accepted: March 25, 2022
Article in press: March 25, 2022
Published online: May 16, 2022
Processing time: 209 Days and 22.2 Hours
During the perianesthesia period, emergency situations threatening the life and safety of patients can occur at any time. When dealing with some emergencies, occasional confusion is inevitable.
This case report describes the rare situation wherein a surgeon inadvertently detached the inflatable tube of an endotracheal tube during a tonsillectomy, and positive pressure ventilation could not be provided. While reintubation may increase the risk of respiratory tract infection and aspiration, patients with a difficult airway might die due to apnea. The best treatment method is to optimize the damaged tracheal tube junction to avoid secondary intubation and ensure patient safety. An intravenous needle and cannula were used to repair the damaged gap in the current case. Following the repair, the anesthesia machine showed no indication of low tidal volume, and there was no deflation of the endotracheal tube cuff. Subsequently, the patient was transferred to the post-anesthesia recovery room, and the tracheal tube was removed with satisfactory results.
Using an intravenous needle to repair a break in the inflatable tube surrounding an endotracheal tube is safe and reliable.
Core Tip: We report a case of perianesthesia in which the trachea tube’s inflatable tube was damaged due to a surgical error, causing a ventilation disorder and triggering the anesthesia machine alarm suggesting low tidal volume. In case of an emergency, our team uses an intravenous catheter to quickly and effectively patch the inflatable tube temporarily to ensure smooth operation and patient safety.