A serious complication after long-term COVID-19 ARDS treatment: Tracheal Stenosis. (A Case Report)

Bulent Baris Guven, Tuna Erturk, Ayşin Ersoy

University of Health Sciences Turkey, Sultan 2, Abdulhamid Han Training and Research Hospital, Department of Anesthesia and Reanimation, Istanbul, Turkey

Most cases monitored in intensive care units (ICU) due to COVID-19 pneumonia remain intubated for long periods due to invasive mechanical ventilation treatment. Long-term intubation, tracheostomy application, diseases accompanied by inflammation, frequent aspiration, and female gender are predisposing factors for the development of tracheal stenosis (TS). In this case report, the clinical findings and treatment are presented for a patient treated in the ICU for 70 days due to COVID-19 pneumonia with TS developing 45 days after discharge. Patients intubated due to COVID-19 and attending after discharge for shortness of breath should definitely have TS considered in the first instance for differential diagnosis. Currently, in spite of the use of interventional bronchoscopic treatment methods like mechanical dilatation, laser ablation and stenting for TS treatment, better outcomes may be obtained with surgical resection for treatment due to frequent recurrence.