A Rare Yet Morbid Complication of Endotracheal Intubation: Tracheal Rupture.

Tracheal tears are an uncommon phenomenon that can occur due to infection, blunt or penetrating trauma or iatrogenic causes secondary to endotracheal intubation or procedures such as bronchoscopy. Post-intubation tracheal laceration is a very rare yet serious complication with high morbidity and mortality rates. Here, we report the case of a 53-year-old woman with a medical history of hypertension who presented with complaints of facial swelling after undergoing arthroscopic debridement of the coracoacromial ligament as well as partial resection of the acromion for impingement of the right shoulder under general anaesthesia. The patient was found to have extensive pneumomediastinum, subcutaneous emphysema, and a large tracheal tear. We aim to highlight this rare complication of endotracheal intubation, discuss the presenting signs and symptoms, and explore the various management options. LEARNING POINTS: Iatrogenic tracheal laceration after intubation is a rare but life-threatening complication.Prompt recognition and treatment is required to reduce morbidity and mortality.

Using injectable hydrogel markers to assess resimulation for boost target volume definition in a patient undergoing whole-breast radiotherapy.

Several publications have recommended that patients undergoing whole-breast radiotherapy be resimulated for boost planning. The rationale for this is that the seroma may be smaller when compared with the initial simulation. However, the decision remains whether to use the earlier or later images to define an appropriate boost target volume. A patient undergoing whole-breast radiotherapy had new, injectable, temporary hydrogel fiducial markers placed 1 to 3cm from the seroma at the time of initial simulation. The patient was resimulated 4.5 weeks later for conformal photon boost planning. Computed tomography (CT) scans acquired at the beginning and the end of whole-breast radiotherapy showed that shrinkage of the lumpectomy cavity was not matched by a corresponding reduction in the surrounding tissue volume, as demarcated by hydrogel markers. This observation called into question the usual interpretation of cavity shrinkage for boost target definition. For this patient, it was decided to define the boost target volume on the initial planning CT instead of the new CT.