A Method for Lung Recruitment in a Quadriplegic Patient: A Case Presentation

A 21-year old man with cervical spinal cord damage due to diving was admitted in the ICU. Tracheostomy was performed due to prolonged mechanical ventilation. Left lung atelectasis happened frequently. Because of the difficulty of bronchoscopy and failing of recruitment, using a double lumen, two tracheal tubes were guided into the left and right lungs through the tracheostomy stoma site. After 24 hours, the left lung was opened and ventilation was continued with a tracheostomy tube.