Upper airway obstruction caused by a double-cuffed nasal balloon after extubation

This case report highlights a situation in which a double-cuffed nasal balloon tamponade device can cause an upper airway obstruction. An 89-year-old female required general anesthesia for an emergent embolization for right-sided epistaxis. The patient had no signs of upper airway obstruction when a double-cuffed nasal tamponade balloon was in place prior to general anesthesia. However, upper airway obstruction occurred immediately after extubation and was corrected by cuff deflation. The mechanisms of upper airway obstruction as a result of cuff dysfunction and management are discussed.