Summary

A pneumothorax following a tracheostomy is a known but rare complication. Bilateral pneumothoraces are rarer still and very few are described in the literature. We present a case of bilateral pneumothoraces following an emergency tracheostomy in a female patient with known laryngeal carcinoma. She was managed with bilateral intercostal chest drains (ICDs) with good result. Anatomical integrity of the oesophagus was confirmed using barium swallow. Prior to removal of the drains a CT scan of the thorax was performed that showed disease progression and led to a change in the initial curative plan. We emphasise the importance in early diagnosis of this complication with a low index of suspicion. We suggest regular monitoring and a low threshold for treatment with bilateral ICDs.