Occlusion of a wire-reinforced endotracheal tube in an almost completely edentulous patient.

Wire-reinforced endotracheal tubes have been advocated for use where endotracheal tube kinking is a risk. We report on a 79-year-old nearly edentulous male patient in a weakened state who managed to partially obstruct a wire-reinforced endotracheal tube, despite the presence of a soft bite block. The risk of kinking wire-reinforced endotracheal tubes is not mitigated simply because the patient is edentulous. Good monitoring, vigilance by providers and the use of a solid bite block remains critical in the care of these patients.