Acute Airway Obstruction and Tracheal Laceration during Gastrostomy Placement in an Infant with Tracheoesophageal Fistula

Iatrogenic Complete Ventilatory Failure in Two Neonates Undergoing Tracheoesophageal Fistula Repair

“…Left mainstem intubation has also been recommended for the infra-carinal TEF to help isolate the fistula and right lung simultaneously in a child with well-preserved pulmonary function ( 4 ). Iatrogenic airway obstruction following accidental placement of a gastrostomy catheter inside the trachea retrograde through the TEF has been reported earlier( 5 ). The deflation of the gastrostomy tube resolved the condition.…”

“…However, there are a multitude of reported causes of inadequate ventilation in infants undergoing TEF repair including pre-existing pulmonary dysfunction, intubation of the fistula, gastric distention, pneumothorax, ETT obstruction, lung retraction during surgery, kinking of the trachea or the main bronchi, and accidental ligation of the bronchi instead of the fistula. Two additional rarer causes that are mentioned in our report should be added for the differential diagnosis ( 1 , 3 , 5 , 8 – 10 ).…”