RESEARCH ARTICLE
Airway Compromise Due to Wound Hematoma Following Anterior Cervical Spine Surgery
Mark A Palumbo*, 1, Jessica Pelow Aidlen1, Alan H Daniels1, Nikhil A Thakur1, Joseph Caiati2
Article Information
Identifiers and Pagination:
Year: 2012Volume: 6
First Page: 108
Last Page: 113
Publisher ID: TOORTHJ-6-108
DOI: 10.2174/1874325001206010108
Article History:
Received Date: 23/12/2011Revision Received Date: 11/1/2012
Acceptance Date: 21/1/2012
Electronic publication date: 5/3/2012
Collection year: 2012

open-access license: This is an open access article licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/) which permits unrestricted, non-commercial use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the work is properly cited.
Abstract
One of the most serious adverse events associated with anterior cervical spine surgery is wound hematoma resulting in airway compromise. The reported incidence of this postoperative complication has varied from 0.2% to 1.9%. Obstruction of the airway secondary to bleeding presents a challenging clinical scenario given the rapidity of onset, distorted anatomy of the upper respiratory tract, urgent need to act and potential for catastrophic consequences. This high-risk, life-threatening clinical scenario requires specialized knowledge and a well-designed treatment protocol to achieve a positive outcome. In this review, we report a case of airway compromise secondary to wound hematoma following anterior cervical discectomy and fusion, followed by a review of relevant literature, anatomy, etiologic factors and diagnostic considerations. We also propose guidelines for the prevention and management of postoperative airway obstruction due to wound hematoma.