Perioperative acute upper airway obstruction secondary to severe rheumatoid arthritis.

Segebarth, P Bradley; Limbird, Thomas J · J Arthroplasty · 2007

case_report · Level V

Where this comes from

Abstract

Although airway obstruction secondary to cricoarytenoid arthritis is an infrequent perioperative complication of rheumatoid arthritis, it must be promptly recognized and appropriately managed to avoid fatal consequences. We report a case of cricoarytenoid dysfunction leading to acute respiratory insufficiency requiring tracheostomy in the immediate postoperative period after total knee arthroplasty in a patient with severe rheumatoid arthritis.

Medical subject headings

Anatomy