CASE REPORT   

Chirurgia 2020 August;33(4):231-4

DOI: 10.23736/S0394-9508.19.05019-8

Copyright © 2019 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for surgery to remove a huge goiter causing tracheal obstruction

Sunyeul LEE, Sookyoung YOUN, Woosuk CHUNG, Yongsup SHIN, Chaeseong LIM ✉

Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, South Korea

A 39-year-old male with a huge thyroid gland that had progressively enlarged over 5 years was scheduled for a thyroidectomy. Because of compressive dyspnea, he could not lie supine. Venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV-ECMO) was used for the safe management of an airway that was totally obstructed by a huge mass involving both thyroid glands, some mediastinum, trachea, strap muscles. ECMO cannulation was followed by general anesthesia and intubation. After resection, patient underwent tracheostomy and weaned from ECMO.

KEY WORDS: Airway management; Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation; Goiter