Minitracheotomy--a life-threatening complication.

A 55-year-old patient developed profuse haemorrhage immediately after insertion of a minitracheotomy tube. Measured blood loss was 1.1 litres, and the bleeding required to be controlled surgically. The cause was a subglottic granuloma which had developed after prolonged tracheal intubation and which was incised during insertion of the minitracheotomy.