Iatrogenic intracranial placement of nasopharyngeal airway after trauma.

CT images of an 18-year-old woman who had sustained head trauma after a motor vehicle accident are presented demonstrating the iatrogenic intracranial placement of a nasopharyngeal airway. Treatment required a decompressive craniectomy, removal of the nasopharyngeal airway under direct vision, and duraplasty. The patient made a good neurological recovery, but did require ongoing medical treatment for diabetes insipidus. The case illustrates the importance of avoiding intranasal placement of any object in a patient with head trauma and suspected skull base fractures prior to diagnostic imaging.