Severe upper airway obstruction due to delayed retropharyngeal hematoma formation following blunt cervical trauma

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>We report a case of severe upper airway obstruction due to a retropharyngeal hematoma that presented nearly one day after a precipitating traumatic injury. Retropharyngeal hematomas are rare, but may cause life-threatening airway com...

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Main Authors: Ciceri David P, Artz Katie S, Puana Rudolph B, Ponzo John A, Lazott Laurie W, Culp William C
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2007-03-01
Series:BMC Anesthesiology
Online Access:http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2253/7/2
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spelling doaj-3d53a120a3f5494a9ef5352f409a42aa2020-11-25T03:43:25ZengBMCBMC Anesthesiology1471-22532007-03-0171210.1186/1471-2253-7-2Severe upper airway obstruction due to delayed retropharyngeal hematoma formation following blunt cervical traumaCiceri David PArtz Katie SPuana Rudolph BPonzo John ALazott Laurie WCulp William C<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>We report a case of severe upper airway obstruction due to a retropharyngeal hematoma that presented nearly one day after a precipitating traumatic injury. Retropharyngeal hematomas are rare, but may cause life-threatening airway compromise.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>A 50 year-old man developed severe dyspnea with oropharyngeal airway compression due to retropharyngeal hematoma 20 hours after presenting to the emergency department. The patient also had a fractured first cervical vertebra and was diagnosed with a left brachial plexopathy. The patient underwent emergent awake fiberoptic endotracheal intubation to provide a definitive airway.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Retropharyngeal hematoma with life-threatening airway compromise can develop hours or days after a precipitating injury. Clinicians should be alert to the potential for this delayed airway collapse, and should also be prepared to rapidly secure the airway in this patient population likely to have concomitant cervical spinal or head injuries.</p> http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2253/7/2
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Ciceri David P
Artz Katie S
Puana Rudolph B
Ponzo John A
Lazott Laurie W
Culp William C
spellingShingle Ciceri David P
Artz Katie S
Puana Rudolph B
Ponzo John A
Lazott Laurie W
Culp William C
Severe upper airway obstruction due to delayed retropharyngeal hematoma formation following blunt cervical trauma
BMC Anesthesiology
author_facet Ciceri David P
Artz Katie S
Puana Rudolph B
Ponzo John A
Lazott Laurie W
Culp William C
author_sort Ciceri David P
title Severe upper airway obstruction due to delayed retropharyngeal hematoma formation following blunt cervical trauma
title_short Severe upper airway obstruction due to delayed retropharyngeal hematoma formation following blunt cervical trauma
title_full Severe upper airway obstruction due to delayed retropharyngeal hematoma formation following blunt cervical trauma
title_fullStr Severe upper airway obstruction due to delayed retropharyngeal hematoma formation following blunt cervical trauma
title_full_unstemmed Severe upper airway obstruction due to delayed retropharyngeal hematoma formation following blunt cervical trauma
title_sort severe upper airway obstruction due to delayed retropharyngeal hematoma formation following blunt cervical trauma
publisher BMC
series BMC Anesthesiology
issn 1471-2253
publishDate 2007-03-01
description <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>We report a case of severe upper airway obstruction due to a retropharyngeal hematoma that presented nearly one day after a precipitating traumatic injury. Retropharyngeal hematomas are rare, but may cause life-threatening airway compromise.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>A 50 year-old man developed severe dyspnea with oropharyngeal airway compression due to retropharyngeal hematoma 20 hours after presenting to the emergency department. The patient also had a fractured first cervical vertebra and was diagnosed with a left brachial plexopathy. The patient underwent emergent awake fiberoptic endotracheal intubation to provide a definitive airway.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Retropharyngeal hematoma with life-threatening airway compromise can develop hours or days after a precipitating injury. Clinicians should be alert to the potential for this delayed airway collapse, and should also be prepared to rapidly secure the airway in this patient population likely to have concomitant cervical spinal or head injuries.</p>
url http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2253/7/2
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