Free accessResearch articleFirst published online 2009-3
Airway Obstruction due to a Pre-vertebral Haematoma following Difficult Central Line Insertion – Implications for Ultrasound Guidance and Review of the Literature
We describe a case of airway obstruction secondary to a large pre-vertebral cervico-mediastinal haematoma following failed attempts at insertion of an internal jugular central venous line. The need for a high index of suspicion to diagnose this injury and early aggressive intervention to manage it are outlined. The role of ultrasound guidance in preventing such a complication is reviewed, as well as other possible mechanisms of haematoma development.
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