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Broken Blade Fragments in the Neck: An Unforeseen Complication of Cricothyroidotomy

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Abstract

Cricothyroidotomy remains one of the reliable methods for securing the airway when all other methods fail. A broken surgical blade lodged in the neck which stemmed from this procedure is almost unheard of. The objective of this case report is to highlight the challenges in managing foreign bodies in the neck due to iatrogenic causes and the utilization of imaging studies to locate the foreign bodies. We present a case of a 50-year-old lady who was in a ‘Can’t Intubate, Can’t Oxygenate’ situation and underwent a cricothyroidotomy but complicated with two fragments of surgical blades were broken and lodged in the neck.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Hospital Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

    Yuen Kok Foong & Soo Mun Yee

  2. Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia Health Campus, Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia

    Irfan Mohamad

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  1. Yuen Kok Foong
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  2. Soo Mun Yee
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  3. Irfan Mohamad
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Contributions

YKF performed the evaluated the clinical findings, performed the operative procedures and contributed to the manuscript; SMY performed the evaluated the clinical findings, performed the operative procedures and contributed to the manuscript; IM evaluated the clinical findings and revised the manuscript. All authors have read and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Yuen Kok Foong or Irfan Mohamad.

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Ethical approval was not required for this case report. Written informed consent for participation was obtained from the patient.

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Written informed consent for publication was obtained from the patient.

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The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

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Foong, Y.K., Yee, S.M. & Mohamad, I. Broken Blade Fragments in the Neck: An Unforeseen Complication of Cricothyroidotomy. Indian J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12070-024-04625-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12070-024-04625-8

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