Difficult Tracheal Extubation (Case Report)

Abstract

Difficult tracheal extubation is hardly recognized by anesthesiologists as it is rarely encountered in comparison to difficult tracheal intubation. In patients, trials of extubation can be fatal when the real reason is not found. In most cases, the problem arises from an inability to deflate the cuff, commonly as a result of failure in the cuff-deflating mechanism. We present a patient who had operation for laryngo-fissur and chordectomy. The patient was intubated orally by direct laryngoscopy with a spiral endotracheal tube, which was used for the second time due to economical reasons. At the end of operation, the cuff could not be deflated via normal procedure. The patient was given anesthesia again and the cuff was exploded by a stile under direct laryngoscopy and extubation was performed. In patients with difficult tracheal extubation, it is better to do extubation after finding the real reason.