A piece of broken intubation tube stylet as endobronchial foreign body

Endotracheal tube stylets are still being used in many medical centres for difficult intubations. In rare cases, it may break inside the trachea during endotracheal intubation and may sometimes move unnoticed deep into the tracheobronchial tree. In this case report, the authors describe a rare complication after endotracheal tube (ETT) stylet intubation in a patient in whom a broken piece of metal guide remained in her tracheobronchial tree. A 69-year-old lady was admitted to our hospital for management of shortness of breath and cough with expectoration. The patient was a known case of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cor pulmonale and coronary artery disease. The authors report a case of an unrecognized broken piece of stylet in her tracheobronchial tree and left main bronchus, which was later detected by computed tomography scan and extracted. Despite precise evaluation before use, signs of breakage in the stylet may be missed, and, consequently, it may break inside the trachea and result in serious complications. It is strongly recommended that the intensivists pay attention to the sounds and movements of the instruments.