Bronchial Perforation Complicating Endotracheal Intubation in an Extremely Low Birth Weight Infant

ABSTRACT

Bronchial injury is a rare and serious complication of endotracheal intubation in neonates. Bronchial perforation following tracheal intubation causes a high-volume air leak mimicking pneumothorax and pneumomediastinum, and it may result in intraventricular hemorrhage, mediastinitis and sepsis. I report my experience of diagnosing a main bronchial perforation in an extremely low birth weight infant, who had a high-volume air leak following tracheal intubation, which persisted after chest tube insertion.