Citation

Anderson BJ, Allen DZ, McKee SP, Low G, Yuksel S. J. Surg. Case Rep. 2021; 2021(12).

Copyright

(Copyright © 2021, Oxford University Press)

DOI

10.1093/jscr/rjab467

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Postpartum psychosis (PPP) is a severe mood disorder following childbirth that rarely leads to injurious or suicidal behavior. This report illustrates otolaryngologic intervention for pharyngeal laceration and airway instability following traumatic foreign body ingestion in the setting of PPP. A 25-year-old woman with PPP presented with hemoptysis after attempting suicide by traumatically forcing tree branches into her oropharynx. Imaging revealed pneumomediastinum, and flexible laryngoscopy and esophagoscopy showed a large foreign body (tree branch) extending from the hypopharynx to the gastroesophageal junction. She was taken to the operating room for direct microlaryngoscopy, bronchoscopy and esophagoscopy with removal of the 25-cm tree branch. Panendoscopy revealed a mucosal laceration at the cricopharyngeus with supraglottic and hypopharyngeal edema but no injury to the larynx. Due to airway concerns, a cuffed tracheostomy was placed along with a gastrostomy tube for feeding access. She tolerated her postoperative course with successful decannulation and oral feeding prior to discharge. © 2021 Published by Oxford University Press and JSCR Publishing Ltd.

Language: en

Keywords

adult; human; female; case report; suicidal behavior; outpatient; eating disorder; clinical article; intensive care unit; steroid; haloperidol; hospital patient; olanzapine; puerperal psychosis; esophagus perforation; computer assisted tomography; esophagoscopy; postoperative period; valproic acid; emphysema; antibiotic agent; bronchoscopy; airway obstruction; hemoptysis; auditory hallucination; Article; tracheostomy; childbirth; young adult; pneumomediastinum; decannulation; flexible laryngoscopy; microlaryngoscopy; xylophagia