A Case of Tracheo-Innominate Artery Fistula after Tracheostomy

기관절개술 후 발생한 기관무명동맥루 1예

Tracheo-innominate artery fistula (TIF) is a rare but catastrophic and almost always fatal complication of tracheostomy. TIF can occur anytime but is commonly present 3 to 24 days after tracheostomy. It can first manifest as massive bleeding around and through the tracheostomy tube, but it can also manifest as a small amount of blood with temporary spontaneous resolution. If TIF is suspicious, airway management and prompt surgical intervention are needed. In an 83-year-old man with CVA history 20 years earlier and who had recurrent aspiration pneumonia, tracheostomy was performed for respiratory management and ventilator support. On day 7 post-tracheostomy, the patient had bleeding from the tracheostoma. Immediate surgical exploration was performed to control the bleeding. A defect was seen at the post wall of the innominate artery. The erosive portion of the artery was sutured, but the patient died three weeks after the surgery due to rebleeding and respiratory failure. We present a patient who developed TIF after tracheostomy, with literature review.