Unusual Rare Complete Transection of Polyvinylchloride Endotracheal Tube in Intensive Care Unit During Sedation Vacation with Spontaneous Breathing Trial.

Abstract

The polyvinyl chloride endotracheal tubes (PVC ETT) are the standard safe protective airway devices applied in intensive care unit practices to associate with a mechanical ventilator to maintain respiratory function and airway patency. While this transparent PVC ETT is semi-rigid at room temperature, but relatively becomes more flexible as it warms to the body core temperature and carries a high risk of perforation or even complete transection during sedation vacation and spontaneous breathing trial (SBT) for possible extubation. However, this manuscript reported an unusual, rare case of PVC ETT transected in two pieces due to the patient's short interval of repetitive strong bites and whose distal portion was trapped in the large airways. To overcome this fatal, life-threatening condition, we removed the transected PVC ETT.