Survival after haemorrhage from the brachiocephalic truncus following tracheostomy

Fatal innominate artery hemorrhage in a patient with tetraplegia: Case report and literature review

Context Hemorrhage is one of the potentially fatal complications of tracheostomy. A rare but lethal cause of tracheostomy related bleeding is hemorrhage from the innominate artery. This occurs following tracheo-innominate artery fistula (TIF) formation, which is associated with a mortality rate of more than 85%. Here, we report the case of an individual with tetraplegia and a tracheostomy who died as a result of innominate artery hemorrhage. This case highlights the possible causes and interventions associated with this complication, and provides insight into tracheostomy related bleeding in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI). Findings A 15-year-old boy with a diagnosis of incomplete SCI at the C5 level was admitted for rehabilitation 4 months after injury. He required a tracheostomy for ventilation, and underwent subglottic stenosis dilatation thrice. Multiple decannulation attempts were performed without success. He received intensive care on several occasions for respiratory failure. During the course of his rehabilitation, a minimal tracheostomy bleed was observed, which became profuse within a few hours and led to hypoxia with loss of consciousness. An urgent sternotomy identified bleeding from a TIF. He suffered severe brain damage following massive tracheal hemorrhage and died. Conclusion/clinical relevance Given the morbidity of TIF-related hemorrhage, it is important to increase awareness of this rare condition among health-care providers, especially those in non-acute settings. Patients with SCI and a tracheostomy pose unique challenges related to respiratory compromise, which may accentuate TIF formation.

Innominate artery hemorrhage following tracheostomy

OBJECTIVES

To review the clinical presentation, predisposing factors, prevention strategies, management, and outcomes of innominate artery hemorrhage following tracheostomy.

STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING

We report the case of an 80-y-old patient who experienced sudden massive innominate artery hemorrhage 11 days post tracheostomy. We review the literature and present recommendations for management and prevention.

RESULTS

Emergency median sternotomy with ligation and resection of the affected segment was performed with no neurological or vascular sequelae.

CONCLUSIONS AND SIGNIFICANCE

The risk of innominate artery hemorrhage may be minimized with simple measures. Management by ligation and resection of the pathological segment of artery has superior outcomes to primary vascular reconstruction with maintenance of blood flow. Bypass procedures are not routinely required and have not been shown to confer any significant benefit. Resection without reconstruction is associated with a surprisingly low incidence of neurological sequelae.

Tracheoarterial fistula: an unusual complication of tracheostomy

The tracheoarterial fistula is an unusual but devastating complication of tracheostomy. It occurs with a frequency of approximately 0.7%, and it is uniformly fatal if not recognized and surgically corrected. Mucosal damage from the tracheal cannula, pressure necrosis from high cuff pressure, or mucosal trauma from an improperly positioned cannula tip results in erosion through the tracheal wall into the vascular structures that lie in the pretracheal space. Bleeding from this complication almost always occurs late (> 48 hours postprocedure). It is often preceded by sentinel hemoptysis. A paucity of signs and symptoms that precede or are associated with this complication require a high index of clinical suspicion to make the diagnosis. In addition to bleeding, other potential clues include a low-lying tracheostomy tube, pulsation of the tracheostomy tube, and the presence of infection, hypotension, malnutrition, and corticosteroid use. Unfortunately, there are no consistently useful diagnostic tools for tracheoarterial fistula. Fiberoptic bronchoscopy and angiography have been performed with mixed results. Should no other cause be found to explain the hemorrhage from or around the tracheostomy, or from disease distal to the primary carina, the patient must be taken to the operating room for a more definitive examination and possible vascular repair. Management is divided into acute stabilization and support, with protection of the airway and restoration of circulating blood volume, followed by definitive repair should the patient survive. Measures to prevent tracheal damage by the tracheostomy tube, such as proper surgical technique and proper inflation of the tracheostomy tube cuff, may go a long way to avoid this potentially lethal complication. Early consideration of this entity may be what saves the life of its victim.

[Haemorrhage and haemostasis in face, visceral cranium, neck and middle ear region (author's transl)]

Head and neck surgery is accompanied by more or less heavy tendency to bleed. Spontaneous bleeding will occur, because of general and local peculiarities depending on the vascularisation of this region. The general part of the paper deals with normal haemostasis and the diagnosis of haemorrhagic diathesis. This part also shows simple surgical measures in order to stop bleeding. The special section of the paper explains bleeding problems by case history. Here mainly complications are shown exceedingly imporant to the ENT Doctor, because of their more common frequency i.e. nose-bleeding, adenotonsillextomy as well as alarming haemorrhage from great vessels of the neck (arrosion bleeding of the carotid artery, lesion due to accidents and following necksurgery).