Anesthetic breathing circuit obstruction mimicking severe bronchospasm: an unusual manufacturing defect

We report an unexpected ventilation difficulty with an anesthetic breathing circuit in a pediatric patient receiving left herniorrhaphy. A manufacturing defect in a limb of the anesthetic breathing circuit caused this problem. This defect induced a high-pitched, wheezing-like sound, which was difficult to differentiate from a hyper-reactive airway, commonly seen in pediatric patients with recent upper respiratory tract infection. We recommend that the patency of the anesthetic breathing circuit should routinely be examined before connecting it to the anesthesia machine.