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Updated: Jun 22, 2026

Guidelines for Elective Pediatric Fiberoptic Intubation
Published on: January 17, 2011
Perforation of and intubation through the palatoglossal fold
D S Bartlett1, R Grace, S Newell
1Department of Anaesthesia, Intensive Care and Perioperative Medicine, Cairns Base Hospital, Cairns, Australia.
Abstract:
Perforation of pharyngeal soft tissues on intubation is rare. We present a case where the endotracheal tube punctured the palatoglossal fold before passing into the trachea. The patient was ventilated for eight days in intensive care before identification of the complication. It is difficult to estimate the frequency of pharyngeal perforation as it rarely occurs. There is however; an increased incidence in difficult intubations, emergency airway management, inexperienced operators and technique used.
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