Journal of Zhejiang University SCIENCE B
ISSN 1673-1581(Print), 1862-1783(Online), Monthly

2007   Vol. 8   No. 7   p. 522~525

Anesthetic management of emergent critical tracheal stenosis

ZHOU Yang-feng, ZHU Shao-jun, ZHU Sheng-mei, AN Xiao-xia^†‡

(Department of Anesthesiology, the First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310003, China)
^‡ Corresponding Author
^†E-mail: anxx6830@yahoo.com.cn
Received Nov. 28, 2006 revision accepted Mar. 5, 2007

Abstract: Two case reports of emergent anesthesia of critical tracheal stenosis are presented. The use of extracorporeal circulation may be a lifesaving method for these patients. Two patients both with severe lower tracheal stenosis were admitted with severe inspiratory dyspnea. The first patient had a tracheal tube inserted above the stenosis in the operating room, but ventilation was unsatisfactory, high airway pressure and severe hypercarbia developed, therefore extracorporeal circulation was immediately initiated. For the second patient, we established femoral-femoral cardiopulmonary bypass prior to induction of anaesthesia, and intubated above the tracheal tumor orally under general anesthesia, then adjusted the endotracheal tube to appropriate depth after the tumor had been resected. The patient was gradually weaned from cardiopulmonary bypass. The two patients all recovered very well after surgery.

Key words: Tracheal stenosis, Extracorporeal circulation, Anesthesia
doi:10.1631/jzus.2007.B0522             CLC number: R64

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