2023 Volume 40 Issue 5 Pages 739-742
A 16–year–old male patient was hospitalized due to Duchenne muscular dystrophy. At the age of 18 years, he underwent tracheotomy in order to be placed on a ventilator due to the acute exacerbation of respiratory failure. One year and 9 months after the tracheotomy (20 years of age), a sudden, large–volume hemorrhage was noted and the patient went into a state of shock. Suspecting a tracheoinnominate artery fistula, the tracheal cannula cuff was over–inflated causing the bleeding to stop and the patient's vital signs to stabilize. The tracheal defect was closed and artificial vascular bypass surgery was successfully completed at an advanced treatment hospital. At the age of 25 years, the precordial surgical wound expanded, and when the artificial blood vessel was checked macroscopically, an air leak within the respiratory air supply was confirmed with contrast–enhanced computed tomography, thus establishing the diagnosis of tracheocutaneous fistula. However, reoperative surgery was not indicated and the patient was treated conservatively. The patient died from heart failure 6 years and 2 months after surgery. A life–saving case of Duchenne muscular dystrophy in conjunction with tracheal artery fistula is rare. This is a case that could be followed up for a long time after surgical treatment.
