Extubation failure and surgical removal of a lodged endotracheal tube in a Welsh Mountain Pony

Abstract

SummaryComplications related to endotracheal intubation are well recognised in both human and veterinary medicine; however, difficult extubation is rare and is typically related to accidental physical fixation, inability to deflate the cuff, anatomical abnormalities or an inappropriate tube. In this case report we describe an unexpected failure to extubate where tracheotomy was required to facilitate the removal of the endotracheal tube in an adult pony.

Complications of orotracheal intubation in the horse

“…The clinical case study by Libera et al (2024) in this issue describes the highly unusual situation where a horse was not able to be extubated without the aid of a tracheostomy-assisted extubation. A similar case study has been described in the dog where extubation was assisted via a tracheostomy (Grzywa & Barker, 2022).…”