Abstract
We encountered a case of tracheal rupture associated with the use of a double-lumen tube during operation for lung cancer. The patient was a 48-year-old woman, 156cm in height and 48kg in weigh. She underwent right middle lobectomy and intra-thoracic hyperthermia therapy after 4 courses of chemotherapy. Intratracheal intubation was easily performed with a 35Fr left-sided double-lumen tube (Blue line endobronchial tube, Portex). However, it was difficult to fix the tube at the proper position for unilateral ventilation, so we fixed it in a squeezed position. The ventilation and operation were uneventful and chest roentgenogram just after the operation showed no abnormalities. She was returned to the ward after extubation. On day 1, subcutaneous empyema was appeared in her chest. On day 2, the empyema increased and we performed chest CT and bronchoscopy. Air-density area spread around the trachea, and laceration of the membranous portion of the trachea was diagnosed. She underwent suture repairing of the trachea on day 2, and discharged on day 14. We discuss and report this case with some reference literatures.
