Life-Threatening Laryngeal Emphysema After Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery

Laryngeal emphysema, or air surrounding the larynx, is a rare complication in the absence of traumatic upper aerodigestive tract injury. We report a case of a lifethreatening upper airway obstruction from laryngeal emphysema following videoassisted thoracoscopic surgery for lung cancer. Air leaking from a segment of lung resulted in the accumulation of air within the visceral compartment of the neck, with the subsequent pressurized compression...