Total pharyngo-supraglottic separation following blunt neck trauma: a case report

Blunt laryngeal trauma is a rare, potentially life-threatening event. A man suffered total pharyngosupraglottic separation following accidental strangling, when a long cloth hanging around his neck was tracked into a threshing machine. Difficulty maintaining the airway was the primary challenge since the laryngotracheal complex had collapsed into the mediastinum. The authors palpated the thyroid cartilage just above the sternal notch but could not identify the tracheal ring for tracheotomy. Injuries to the laryngotracheal complex are severe if there is such a complete separation. Early diagnosis and proper management reduce morbidity and mortality. The successful management of such a case is presented