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Anesth Analg 2003;97:911-914
© 2003 International Anesthesia Research Society

GENERAL ARTICLES

Esophageal Tear: An Unusual Complication After Difficult Endotracheal Intubation

Ibtesam A. Hilmi, MB CHB, FRCA, Erin Sullivan, MD, Joseph Quinlan, MD, and Saraswathy Shekar, MD

Department of Anesthesiology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Presbyterian Hospital, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Address correspondence and reprint requests to Ibtesam A. Hilmi, MB CHB, FRCA, Assistant professor, Department of Anesthesiology, Presbyterian Hospital, 200 Lothrop St., C-Wing, Pittsburgh, PA 15213-2582. Address e-mail to hilmiia{at}anes.upmc.edu

Esophageal perforation is a serious life threatening injury that may occur during inadvertent esophageal intubation. We report two cases of iatrogenic esophageal perforation after attempted endotracheal intubation. Our experience confirms that early diagnosis (as in the first case) is associated with a more favorable outcome. Therefore, a high index of suspicion is required for early diagnosis of this complication because the symptoms are often nonspecific and may be delayed.

IMPLICATIONS: We describe two case reports of esophageal injury after difficult endotracheal intubation. Whenever there is a traumatic intubation with inadvertent esophageal intubation, the possibility of esophageal injury should be considered.






Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins Anesthesia & Analgesia® is published for the International Anesthesia Research Society® by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins with the assistance of Stanford University Libraries' HighWire Press®. Copyright 2006 by the International Anesthesia Research Society. Online ISSN: 1526-7598   Print ISSN: 0003-2999 HighWire Press
Copyright © 2003 by the International Anesthesia Research Society.