Tracheal injury after endotracheal intubation and anesthesia in rabbits

This case report describes sublaryngeal tracheal injury and ulceration in 15 rabbits from 3 institutions as sequelae to routine intubation and general anesthesia with isoflurane in oxygen. The rabbits were intubated for general anesthesia and mechanically ventilated for experimentally diverse procedures, with periods of anesthesia lasting 1.5 to 5 h. Of the 15 animals, 6 developed minimal to moderate postanesthesia clinical signs of moist rales or cyanosis or both; 2 of these 6 rabbits later died unexpectedly, their deaths attributed to respiratory obstruction by necrotic tracheal debris. The pathogenesis of this lesion is reviewed. Our findings suggest that rabbits may be predisposed to developing serious tracheal injury and clinically significant sequelae in association with routine intubation.