Cervical Necrotising Fasciitis Leading to Critical Airway Compromise: A Case Report of Successful Airway Management With Awake Fibreoptic Intubation

A 56-year-old female patient with a history of breast cancer, anxiety, and depression developed rapid-onset cervical necrotising fasciitis following a fall at home where she sustained multiple rib fractures and lacerations. The case highlights the challenge of managing a rapidly progressing airway obstruction and the successful management of the patient's condition with awake fibreoptic intubation and subsequent surgical intervention.

Supraglottic Myxedema Presenting as a Complication of Hypothyroidism: A Case Report

Myxedema is a medical emergency with high mortality rates if not treated aggressively. Here, we present a middle-aged female with complaints of generalized body swelling for one year, shortness of breath, hoarseness of voice, neck swelling, and cough for 20 days. The patient was diagnosed to be having severe hypothyroidism with polyserositis. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) of the neck and thorax revealed extensive soft tissue edema causing airway narrowing, bilateral pleural effusion, moderate pericardial effusion, and features of atypical pneumonia. The patient was started on levothyroxine and antibiotics as per cultures to which she had initially improved; however, she developed ventilator-associated pneumonia leading to sepsis, acute respiratory distress syndrome followed by refractory type 1 respiratory failure and succumbed.

Airway Complications After Anterior Cervical Spine Surgery: Etiology and Risk Factors

STUDY DESIGN

Narrative Review.

OBJECTIVE

To provide an overview of etiology and risk factors of airway complications after anterior cervical spine surgery (ACSS).

METHODS

A search was performed in PubMed and adapted for use in other databases, including Embase, Cochrane Library, Cochrane Register of Controlled Trials, Health Technology Assessment database, and NHS Economic Evaluation Database.

RESULTS

81 full-text studies were reviewed. A total of 53 papers were included were included in the review and an additional four references were extracted from other references. 39 papers were categorized as etiology and 42 as risk factors.

CONCLUSIONS

Most of the literature on airway compromise after ACSS is level III or IV evidence. Currently, there are no systems in place to risk-stratify patients undergoing ACSS regarding airway compromise or guidelines on how to manage patients when these complications do occur. This review focused on theory, primarily etiology and risk factors.

Thyroglossal Duct Cyst Papillary Carcinoma With Airway Compromise

Thyroglossal duct cysts are typically benign and usually asymptomatic. Malignant transformation is uncommon. Intralaryngeal extension is rare and results in dysphonia or dyspnea. There is no literature nowadays reporting the thyroglossal duct cyst carcinoma combining the clinical features of intralaryngeal extension. The authors present a case of progressive hoarseness and midline neck mass for 2 years. The laryngoscope and computed tomography revealed a 6-cm thyroglossal duct cyst containing ectopic thyroid tissue with intralaryngeal extension and causing airway obstruction. Complete excision with Sistrunk operation revealed papillary thyroid carcinoma. The patient resumed normal phonation after the surgery. There was no evidence of tumor recurrence and no hoarseness or dyspnea at 6 months follow up. This is the first reported case of a huge thyroglossal duct cyst carcinoma with intralaryngeal extension causing airway compromise. Complete excision of tumor is essential and vital to the symptom relief. A thyroglossal duct cyst carcinoma with endolaryngeal involvement should be considered in the differential diagnosis when the case has a massive midline neck mass with ectopic thyroid tissue and develops dyspnea or hoarseness concurrently.

Acute Airway Compromise Due to Spontaneous Pneumomediastinum in COVID-19 Infection and Subsequent Rapid Formation of Pulmonary Subpleural Bullae: A Case Report

Spontaneous pneumomediastinum (SPM), an increasingly documented complication of COVID-19 infection, usually presents with retrosternal chest pain and dyspnea but can present atypically. In this case, an exceptionally rare presentation could have led to inappropriate management and a poor outcome. Here, a previously healthy 41-year-old Afro-Caribbean male non-smoker presents with acute airway compromise due to SPM. Conservative management proved effective, with anxiolysis to mitigate patient self-induced lung injury (PSILI) and oxygen supplementation via a non-rebreather mask to increase the resolution rate till the patient stabilized over the following days. The sequelae of the lung insult were noted in subsequent imaging, showing the formation of many subpleural bullae. Our case demonstrates the need for a high index of suspicion for pneumomediastinum among teams caring for COVID-19 cases. It also highlights the potential need for follow-up for further research on pulmonary sequelae.

Isolated Uvulitis in a Patient After Smoking Fentanyl

Isolated uvulitis is a rare but potentially devastating condition that can result in airway compromise. Etiologies include infection, trauma, allergy, primary angioedema, immunologic disorders, and inhalation injury. Uvulitis has been previously reported as a reaction to inhalation of cannabis, crack cocaine, and mephedrone. We present a case of isolated uvulitis with concerns for impending airway obstruction in a patient after smoking fentanyl. While a sore throat is a common chief complaint among ED patients, emergency providers should consider uvulitis within this deadly differential.

Wide Spectrum of DUOX2 Deficiency: From Life-Threatening Compressive Goiter in Infancy to Lifelong Euthyroidism

Six patients are described with bi-allelic DUOX2 variants and widely variable phenotypes. Patient 1 is an infant with a compressive hypothyroid goiter causing respiratory distress, which was promptly alleviated by levothyroxine (LT4). He was a compound heterozygote for DUOX2 variants, including a novel deletion of 540 base pairs. Patients 2 and 3 are siblings with the same compound heterozygous mutations of DUOX2, yet one had overt hypothyroidism at 14 months and the other lifelong euthyroidism. Patient 4 is a compound heterozygote individual and has mild persistent congenital hypothyroidism; his sister (patient 5) only had a borderline thyrotropin elevation at newborn screening, consistent with homozygous DUOX2 variants with a mild impact on enzyme activity. Their euthyroid mother (patient 6) is a compound heterozygote for the same DUOX2 mutations as her son. Targeted exome sequencing did not reveal any relevant modifiers. It is concluded that (i) prompt LT4 replacement in infants with respiratory distress due to a hypothyroid goiter makes surgery unnecessary; and (ii) the clinical expression of DUOX2 deficiency varies widely between individuals and over time, justifying periodic reevaluation of the need for LT4 replacement.

Back to Basics: Minimally Invasive Surgery

In the past 20 to 30 years, minimally invasive surgery (MIS) has become commonplace in almost all surgical specialties. The needs of the perioperative team and patients are different during MIS than during traditional open surgery. The equipment and instrumentation required to perform MIS are extensive and continue to evolve as new techniques are developed. As advances in MIS occur and more procedures are completed using this method, some surgeons are conducting research studies related to the efficacy of certain longstanding MIS protocols. Perioperative nurses are challenged to stay current on the available technology and results of research studies so that they can provide safe patient care. This Back to Basics article will provide basic strategies for perioperative nurses to ensure successful MIS outcomes for patients.

Laryngeal Cryptococcoma Resulting in Airway Compromise in an Immunocompetent Patient: A Case Report

Cryptococcus neoformans is a yeast than can result in isolated or disseminated infections. This case report describes an immunocompetent patient presenting with airway obstruction secondary to laryngeal crypotococcoma, mimicking a laryngeal malignancy, and describes associated management. A 68-year-old immunocompetent female with a new positron emission tomography-avid laryngeal lesion was intubated after acute respiratory decompensation. Airway evaluation revealed diffuse mucosal changes throughout the endolarynx with significant loss of normal native tissue architecture. Operative biopsy confirmed infection of C neoformans. The patient was treated with extended-course fluconazole. This case reinforces characteristic physical and histologic findings described for laryngeal cryptococcal infection. Laryngoscope, 129:926-929, 2019.

Perioperative Complications in Posterior Pharyngeal Flap Surgery: Review of the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program Pediatric (NSQIP-PEDS) Database

BACKGROUND

Posterior pharyngeal flap (PPF) surgery is effective for treating velopharyngeal insufficiency but has historically been associated with risk of airway compromise. This study aims to identify risk factors for complications from and readmission after PPF using a national database.

METHODS

Patients who underwent PPF surgery were selected from the 2012 American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program Pediatric (NSQIP-PEDS) database. Patient characteristics, comorbidities, and complication/readmission data were analyzed.

RESULTS

Among 225 study patients, 12 (5.3%) suffered perioperative complications. The most common complications were pulmonary in nature (5 patients, 2.2%), including prolonged postoperative mechanical ventilation (3 patients, 1.3%). Underlying asthma (P = .024) or any cardiac risk factor (P = .047) conveyed significant complication risk. Further, severe cardiac risk factors were associated with postoperative bleeding (P = .024). Readmission (4 patients, 1.7%) and reoperation (3 patients, 1.3%) occurred at mean intervals of 9 and 10 days after the original procedure. Seventy-nine patients (35%) were discharged postoperatively on an outpatient basis, and this subgroup included only one patient (1.2%) with a complication (P = .038).

CONCLUSIONS

The overall perioperative complication rate for PPF surgery is low at 5.3%. Patients with underlying cardiac risk factors, severe American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status class, and asthma should prompt greater attention given their heightened risk profiles.