Fractured tracheostomy tube - A case report of a 3-year old Ghanaian child Tube de tracheotomie fracturechez une enfant ghaneenne de trois ans

Introduction: We report on a 3-year old Ghanaian child who had a fractured tracheos- tomy tube dislodged into the left main bronchus of the tracheobronchial tree. Case history: Child was involved in a rollover road traffic collision as an unrestrained passenger in a saloon car. Her injuries required mechanical ventilation and subsequently a tracheostomy. A week after the tracheostomy, a diagnosis of a fractured tracheostomy tube was made. Discussion: Fracture of a tracheostomy tube is a rare complication, which should be considered as part of the differential diagnosis in a ventilated patient with a tracheostomy. Wound exploration through the tracheal stoma is an alternative technique that can be adopted in a restricted resource setting. a 2012 African Federation for Emergency Medicine. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. All rights