Anesthetic management of a case of suicidal cut throat injury

Abstract

Traumatic airway injuries may be rare, but these can be difficult to manage as there is a chance
of aspiration of blood and risk of hypoxia as happened in our case. We present a case of suicidal
cut throat injury in a 16 year old male. Tracheal intubation was initially done directly through
the tracheal cut; and tracheostomy with repair of wound followed later on. The patient was
electively ventilated for 12 hours post operatively and recovered completely. Mortality and late
complications in these patients are high and may be related to delay in definitive treatment.