Tracheal rupture after intubation and placement of an endotracheal balloon catheter (A-view®) in cardiac surgery.

The endotracheal balloon catheter (A-view®) is a device developed to locate atherosclerotic plaques of the ascending aorta (AA) in cardiac surgery to prevent stroke. The saline-filled balloon is located in the trachea and combines the advantages of transoesophageal echocardiography (e.g. used before performing the sternotomy) and intraoperative epiaortic ultrasound scanning (e.g. complete view of the AA). We report the first severe complication after the use of A-view®. This is a case of a 66-year old woman who underwent elective myocardial revascularization complicated by an intraoperative iatrogenic tracheal rupture of 6 cm, after uncomplicated intubation and the use of an endotracheal balloon catheter (A-view®), which required direct surgical repair with a posterolateral thoracotomy after the myocardial revascularization was completed, weaning from bypass and closure of the median sternotomy.