Iatrogenic aortic arch injury after unsuccessful percutaneous tracheostomy

We present the case of an unusual complication of aortic arch injury after percutaneous tracheostomy (PT) performed at an outside hospital. Major vascular injury was managed with sternotomy and direct aortic repair with a successful outcome. We believe PT should be performed under direct bronchoscopy visualization to limit any possible complications. Intensivists should be aware of this extremely rare complication of PT, which requires emergency cardiac surgery intervention and a team effort for appropriate management.
Source: Journal of Cardiac Surgery - Category: Cardiovascular & Thoracic Surgery Authors: Tags: CASE REPORT Source Type: research