Acute upper airway obstruction in the adult. 2. Causative events

Acute obstruction of the upper airway can be caused by several events. With some, such as anaphylaxis and trauma, obstruction may not be immediate and the physician may be able to take steps to avert it. Intubation is a common cause of upper airway injury. The most serious complication of this procedure is chronic subglottic stenosis. Vocal cord paralysis may result from tumor or neck trauma but especially from neck or mediastinal surgery, and the vocal cords should always be examined before and after such surgery.