Unusual case of acute tracheal injury complicated by application of positive end expiratory pressure (PEEP).

Blunt neck trauma can be caused by a variety of injuries such as deceleration, road traffic accidents and crush injuries. The worst scenario is airway rupture. We report an unusual case of acute tracheal injury in a 34-year-old Irish man who presented with a history of strangulation while working with a tractor. On arrival, he had one episode of mild haemoptysis and reported pain around the base of the neck and voice hoarseness. His chest X-ray revealed pneumopericardium and CT of thorax showed airway oedema. After elective intubation, positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) of 5 cm H2O caused deterioration in his clinical condition with increasing surgical emphysema and rise of carbon dioxide partial pressure (PaCO2), which was completely reversed after stopping PEEP. This case shows how PEEP and intermittent positive pressure ventilation can worsen air leak and compromise stability in patients with acute tracheal injury. 2014 BMJ Publishing Group Ltd.