Postoperative Neck Hematoma

Neck surgery procedures such as carotid endarterectomy, thyroidectomy, and anterior cervical spine fusion can result in hematoma compromising the airway after the procedure. Successful management of this postoperative complication requires close communication between the surgery and anesthesia teams. This chapter will review differential diagnoses for post-extubation respiratory distress in the operating room and post-anesthesia care unit, review causes of airway compromise after thyroidectomy, and discuss management of an emergent difficult airway in the post-anesthesia recovery unit. In addition, this comprehensive chapter contains the materials needed to develop and implement a successful simulation, including case scenario, narrative, and progression, as well as a scoring rubric for evaluation of perioperative management.