Potential complications of needle cricothyroidotomy and percutaneous transtracheal ventilation

Category	Complication
Unsuccessful catheter placement OR Successful catheter placement with subsequent obstruction, kinking, or dislodgement	Inability to ventilate
	Subcutaneous emphysema
Barotrauma	Subcutaneous emphysema
	Pneumomediastinum
	Pneumothorax
	Pneumatocele of the larynx
Damage to adjacent structures	Posterior tracheal laceration or perforation
	Esophageal perforation
	Mediastinitis
	Vocal cord injury
	Laryngeal injury and/or laryngospasm
Excessive bleeding	Hematoma (cutaneous and/or airway) with extrinsic or intrinsic airway narrowing
Infection	Cellulitis and abscess (cutaneous and/or prevertebral)
	Tracheitis
	Osteomyelitis of the cervical spine

PTV_complications.htm

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