[2 different solutions to a severed nasotracheal tube during maxillary osteotomy]

During osteotomy in orthognathic surgery, the tracheal tube is in danger of being partially or completely cut, a complication that can lead to failure of ventilation/oxygenation or bronchial aspiration. We report two cases of tracheal tube damage in which we had to manage the airway differently in relation to the size of the cuts, patient characteristics and the expectation of postoperative ventilation requirements. In the first case, the airway was safeguarded by simply stabilizing the tube and sealing the leak with wet compresses. In the second case, we were able to attach a connector to the two sections of the damaged tube, a system that afforded sufficient safety and even allowed us to provide postoperative ventilation.