Incessant menace of airway obstruction with flexometallic endotracheal tube

Abstract

Flexometallic endotracheal tubes (ETT) are preferred over standard Polyvinyl Chloride ETTs in cases where intraoperatively there is limited airway access to the anaesthesiologist. As they are comparatively expensive, it is common practice to reuse them after sterilization. Here we describe a case where a flexometallic ETT was used in a case of tonsillectomy after a through visual inspection to rule out any structural deformity. Intraoperatively ETT itself led to airway obstruction mimicking bronchospasm.