Cricotracheostomy for a patient with difficult airway access for an aberrant common carotid artery: A case report

Abstract

Cricotracheostomy is a novel surgical airway-opening technique that is safe and easy to perform and carries minor bleeding risk. It allows rapid establishment of airway access when urgently needed. However, this technique does pose the risk of respiratory complications upon primary closure of the stoma. Here, we describe the case of a patient with an aberrant common carotid artery and advanced mandibular cancer, who underwent cricotracheostomy in combination with resection and reconstruction of the mandible. Cricotracheostomy allowed easy establishment of airway access without intra- and postoperative complications. Two weeks postoperatively, the cricotracheostomy stoma was closed. The patient had no late respiratory complications and was doing well at 30 months postoperatively. Although there is a need to resolve the long-term sequelae, we believe that cricotracheostomy is likely to be as useful for establishment of an open airway as tracheostomy or cricothyrotomy, especially in emergency or difficult situations.

Keywords

• Cricotracheostomy
• Cricothyrotomy
• Tracheostomy