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    Chest. 1991 Jun;99(6):1520-3.

    Fatal airway obstruction caused by a mucous ball from a transtracheal oxygen catheter.

    Source

    Respiratory Services Department, Kettering Medical Center, Ohio 45429.

    Abstract

    A 50-year-old man with pulmonary fibrosis and COPD presented with worsening cough, dyspnea, chest pain, and hypoxemia of no readily apparent etiology, approximately four weeks after insertion of a transtracheal oxygen therapy catheter. Despite vigorous bronchial hygiene therapy, the patient died. Autopsy revealed obstruction of the trachea by a large mucous ball. We point out the nonspecificity of physical and radiologic findings associated with this condition and suggest that serial flow-volume loop analysis or earlier use of fiberoptic bronchoscopy might have been of assistance in premortem diagnosis of the mucous plug.

    PMID:
    2036843
    [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
    Free full text

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