Silver nitrate therapy for persistent tracheocutaneous fistula following prolonged tracheostomy and invasive ventilation: A case report

Abstract

Abstract We report the case of a man with severe Guillain‐Barré syndrome who developed a persistent tracheocutaneous fistula (TCF) following prolonged tracheostomy and mechanical ventilation. Following tracheostomy decannulation, the TCF had a deleterious effect on non‐invasive positive pressure ventilation efficacy and ability to effectively clear airway secretions due to air leaking from the patent stoma. This case highlights a non‐surgical approach to TCF management that is not well‐described in the literature and presents an alternative management option for cohorts of patients in which the risk associated with surgical interventions may be undesirable.

Keywords

• trachea
• tracheocutaneous fistula
• tracheostomy
• ventilation
• wound healing