Sounds of Death – Airway Mucus Plugging

Diagnosis: Airway mucus plugging

[one_half] Photo Case 1 Feb 2014
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What is shown?
The photograph shows the large airway opened from behind. Seen are: the voice box (left, black arrow), trachea (center); two mainstem bronchi (right, white arrows). The airway is completely filled with mucus.

How did this happen?
This patient was very weak (from cancer and from an infection), had advanced Alzheimer’s disease, and could not “clear” the mucus. Normally, people can “clear” mucus by coughing it out of the airway (and then swallowing or spitting it out). The patient was too weak to do this. So the mucus built up and blocked the airway.

How did this patient die?
The mucus blocked the airway and gradually choked the patient, preventing airflow into the lungs.

How did the autopsy help the family?
The autopsy findings allowed the family to address specific, emotionally-charged and distressing medical-related issues:

The patient’s level of comfort. The family noticed gurgling sounds during breathing and was concerned this meant the loved one was uncomfortable or suffered near the time of death. The autopsy confirmed the presence of mucus but cannot specifically comment on suffering. However, an understanding of the specific effect of mucus on air flow helped the family feel more comfortable that the patient may not have suffered.

Here’s how that worked. Because mucus builds up gradually, the patient must have had a gradual decrease in air flow (rather than abrupt, as in sudden choking). This suggests the likelihood of a gradual and long term decrease in body oxygen. This means the brain likely also had a gradual decrease in oxygen supply. Low oxygen levels cause the brain to lose or decrease consciousness. An unconscious person cannot experience suffering. This means there was a high likelihood the patient did not suffer.

The patient’s level of care. The family worried that, with all that mucus, the patient should have been suctioned by nursing staff. The autopsy cannot comment on treatment options. However, by discussing the issues and findings, the family can consider alternate points of view. For this patient, the following questions had to be considered: Given her terminal condition, what were the treatment goals? Was full care the treatment plan? Or was hospice in place? What palliative measures (e.g. suctioning) were agreed upon? Was the treatment plan made clear to the family or, more importantly, made by the family?

A family that agrees to hospice but requests suctioning suggests an active and human struggle in accepting imminent death and letting go of the loved one. A family that requests full care (including suctioning) and does not see it suggests a different set of issues.

Summary.
In this particular case, the autopsy allowed the family to come to terms with the terminal nature of the cancer; understand that their observation (of breathing) reflected the process of dying; focus their energy on bereavement rather than anger (over perceived nursing issues); and thereby achieve a sense of peace.

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