During bronchoscopically guided percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy, a 71-year-old woman suffered a long-stretched tear to the posterior tracheal wall. The injury was suspected to be caused by blunt trauma during dilation or cannula insertion, possibly aggravated by vigorous cuff inflation. Since the defect ended just 0.5 cm proximal to the main carina, placing a cuffed endotracheal tube beyond the injury was not an option. However, we decided for a conservative treatment approach by placing a cuffed endotracheal tube under bronchoscopic visualization in direct proximity to the cranial end of the laceration. The further course of the patient was uneventful and complete healing was documented by bronchoscopic inspection on a regular basis.
Keywords: Bronchoscopy; Conservative treatment; Tracheal cannula; Tracheal injury; Tracheostomy.