2021 Volume 114 Issue 2 Pages 145-149
Herein, we report a case of subglottic stenosis caused by intubation with a double-lumen tube (DLT).
An 80-year-old woman underwent video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) for lung cancer. The patient was intubated preoperatively with a 32 Fr DLT. However, since it was difficult to pass the tube through the subglottic space, the tube size was changed to 28 Fr. One day later, the patient complained of hoarseness. Fiberoptic laryngoscopic examination revealed subglottic stenosis caused by mucosal edema. Emergency tracheostomy was performed under local anesthesia. By 18 days after the VATS, the subglottic stenosis had completely resolved.
The findings in this case suggest that the subglottic stenosis was caused by mechanical damage caused during endotracheal intubation with the DLT. Case reports of subglottic stenosis after intubation with DLT are common among women of age group. Clinicians should be aware of the possibility of subglottic stenosis after extubation, especially in elderly women.