Rupture of endotracheal tube cuff during robot-assisted endoscopic thyroidectomy - A case report

Abstract

We encountered a case of a rupture of an endotracheal tube cuff during robot-assisted thyroid surgery in a 35-year-ld male patient. Two hours after commencing surgery, the bellows of the ventilator were not filled and a rupture of the endotracheal tube cuff was suspected. Once the robot-manipulator is engaged, the position of the operating table cannot be altered without removing it from the patient. Reintubation with direct laryngoscopy was performed with difficulty in the narrow space between the patient's head and robot-manipulator without moving the robot away from the patient. The rupture of the endotracheal tube cuff was confirmed by observing air bubbles exiting from the balloon in water. The patient was discharged 3 days after surgery without complications. In robot-assisted thyroid surgery, a preoperative arrangement of the robot away from the patient's head to obtain easy access to the patient is essential for safe anesthetic care. Copyright © Korean Society of Anesthesiologists, 2010.