 More serious complications include laryngospasm , perforation of the trachea or esophagus , pulmonary aspiration of gastric contents or other foreign bodies , fracture or dislocation of the cervical spine , temporomandibular joint or arytenoid cartilages , decreased oxygen content , elevated arterial carbon dioxide , and vocal cord weakness . In addition to these complications , tracheal intubation via the nasal route carries a risk of dislodgement of adenoids and potentially severe nasal bleeding . Newer technologies such as flexible fiberoptic laryngoscopy have fared better in reducing the incidence of some of these complications , though the most frequent cause of intubation trauma remains a lack of skill on the part of the laryngoscopist . 
