Compressed Airway in Tracheomalacia on Laryngoscopy Compressed airway - asphyxiation. One of the cause is from external pressure inducing the compression of the trachea (windpipe). This is due to the anatomy of the incomplete tracheal rings, to allow passage of food in the esophagus (foodpipe) and flexibility for neck movements. This is from a child who presented with shortness of breath and stridor after an alleged choking episode during a feed, which we were concerned for food inhalation at first thought with that history Turns out there is no food foreign body in the trachea (windpipe). But the posterior wall appeared to be compressed from an external pressure with food bolus stuck all the way in the esophagus (foodpipe) which lies behind the windpipe when we performed a rigid esophagoscopy Eventually the child was diagnosed to have tracheomalacia after further investigations and work up - a condition due to weakness of structures that support the integrity of the trachea. The child has recovered well If you understand the anatomy, you’d now better understand how asphyxiation could possibly occur, especially with intense external pressure from the sides of the neck. If the trachea cartilage ring fractures, it can result in flaccidity of the trachea and possibly puncturing it too Dr. Sofia Lim @drsofialim #Tracheomalacia #Laryngoscopy #bronchoscopy #clinical #video #otolaryngology #pediatrics #pulmonary
