Summary
It is an intricate problem to maintain a free airway in patients with smoke inhalation injuries combined with deep burns of the face, neck and chest. In this paper, we report and discuss late problems after tracheostomy seen in five patients. The causes were anatomical in three patients (tracheo-oesophageal fistula, tracheal stenosis and collapse), and functional in two (difficulties in swallowing and largyngo-spasm). The patient with a tracheo-oesophageal fistula died due to erosion of the tracheo-innominate artery. In patients with deep burns in the face, neck and chest, it is important to have a strategy of treatment to keep a free airway and to anticipate the potential development of late complications after tracheostomy.
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Gherardini, G., Jernbeck, J., Kuylenstierna, R. et al. Anatomical and functional complications after tracheostomy in patients with burns and inhalation injuries. Eur J Plast Surg 17, 127–130 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00178676
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00178676