We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Procedures

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What Are the Potential Complications of Intubation?

By Clara Kedrek
Updated: Mar 03, 2024
Views: 41,534
Share

A number of different complications of intubation are possible. If patients need urgent assistance in breathing, they are typically intubated by having a breathing tube inserted into the mouth, which is then passed into the trachea; this tube is often referred to as an endotracheal tube. After intubation, a ventilator can pump air into and out of the lungs. Complications of intubation can arise from the insertion process, as the tube could damage either the respiratory or gastrointestinal tracts. Patients who are intubated have an increased risk for infections such as pneumonia and sinusitis, and long-term breathing support with an endotracheal tube can result in damage to the respiratory tract, making future breathing more difficult.

The tube insertion itself can occasionally cause harm to the patient undergoing this procedure. Rarely, the tube can damage the vocal cords, leading to problems with talking after the patient is removed from the ventilator. Other times, the tube could pass into the esophagus instead of into the trachea, leading to tears in the esophagus. This can result in bleeding within the gastrointestinal tract, and could also cause problems with swallowing after the breathing tube is removed.

With time, and with improper care of the intubated patients, an infection of the lung called pneumonia can occur. Often this condition, which is one of the complications of intubation, is referred to as ventilator-associated pneumonia. This type of infection develops because the lungs of intubated patients are less protected as compared to people who are breathing normally because air is pumped directly into the lungs. Many times these infections are difficult to treat because they are caused by resistant bacteria present in the hospital.

Another of the infectious complications of intubation is sinusitis, a condition characterized by inflammation and irritation of the sinuses. This side effect occurs because the drainage of the sinus cavity is often impaired by the presence of the endotracheal tube. Patients may or may not have symptoms of this infection. It is clinically important, though, because infection of the sinus cavities can cause a fever. Imaging studies such as computed tomography (CT) scans are performed to identify sinusitis.

Patients who need to stay on a ventilator for an extended period of time can experience other complications of intubation. The presence of a plastic tube from the mouth to the lungs can damage the cartilage supporting the respiratory tract, decreasing its structural integrity. Different parts of the respiratory tract, including the trachea, can narrow due to the tube's presence. As a result patients could develop wheezing and shortness of breath. For this reason, patients who are expected to need help breathing for over a week are often switched from being intubated through the mouth to being intubated through the trachea.

Share
The Health Board is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Discussion Comments
By anon943075 — On Mar 31, 2014

My dad has had problems eating and swallowing his food after intubation. Also, they found a large skin clot the size of a quarter and a large blood clot the size of a mike and Ike candy stuck in his throat afterward. They would never have found the clot if I hadn't kept telling them something was stuck in my dad's throat.

My dad is in a nursing home now at the age of 64 because of this. He is too weak after being in the hospital for too long and lost 40 pounds and has throat damage after intubation just because he had pneumonia.

He recovered from pneumonia but not from the intubation and starvation and mouth dehydration from the hospital. They still haven't figured out what caused the pneumonia.

By anon319213 — On Feb 11, 2013

I have very little voice control now after being intubated four months ago.

Share
https://www.thehealthboard.com/what-are-the-potential-complications-of-intubation.htm
Copy this link
The Health Board, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

The Health Board, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.