A Case of Difficult Ventilation

Difficult ventilation is a problem related to airway management which is a frequent and significant problem encountered during anesthesia. The main causes of difficult ventilation include disturbances in anesthetic gas flow, obstructions in the breathing-circulation system, decreased pulmonary compliance, severe acute bronchospasm, tension pneumothorax and endobronchial mass lesions. Secretions, cuff herniation, faults in manufactured airway equipment and kinking of the tube might also cause obstructions in the breathing-circulation systems. This report presents a case of difficult ventilation following intubation due to an endotracheal tube defect.