Hematoma After Upper Back Surgery

[B_Smith]

My husband had his second surgery on the upper part of his back closer to his neck by going through his neck by inserting a metal rod to repair the first surgery where the bone fusion came a loose.  He evidently developed a large by width and height, hematoma around his airway cords which prevented him from breathing while in the emergency room and I was told there was nothing the ER doctor could have done to save him while trying several efforts to get him to breath and eventually cut where they thought there was an obstruction.  Is there something that else he should have known or done knowing he had this surgery and he wasn't breathing and all ordinary efforts weren't working?