Conservative management of trachea-to-innominate artery transfixion with a guidewire during percutaneous tracheostomy: a case report

BACKGROUND: Tracheostomy is a standard procedure in critically ill patients requiring mechanical ventilation or airway protection for extended periods. The main cause of death is haemorrhage, most commonly owing to a trachea-to-innominate artery fistula, usually requiring surgical treatment. CASE PRESENTATION: Here we report the case of an 83-yr-old woman with a subarachnoid haemorrhage, who incurred a trachea-to-innominate artery transfixion following percutaneous tracheostomy, successfully and conservatively managed by interventional radiology. CONCLUSIONS: The use of peri-procedural ultrasound examination of the neck can reduce the risk of complications related to vessel anatomical variants. When the tracheostomy is complicated by bleeding, the procedure should be stopped in order to diagnose the vascular iatrogenic injury and to evaluate the best therapeutic approach by a multidisciplinary team.