Rupture of the left main‐stem bronchus by the tracheal portion of a double‐lumen endobronchial tube

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Abstract
We report a rupture of the left main‐stem bronchus following the insertion of a left‐sided double‐lumen endobronchial tube in a 76‐yr‐old woman with a short trachea. A fiberoptic bronchoscope was not used during the initial insertion of the tube and the depth of insertion resulted in approximately 5 cm in excess of the optimal level for this patient. The rupture had been caused by the tracheal portion of the double‐lumen tube. This damage may have been avoided if a fiberoptic bronchoscope was used routinely as an introducer and for positioning of the endobronchial tube under direct vision.