Tracheal Rupture After Blunt Trauma

Abstract

Tracheal injuries are uncommon after blunt trauma. Early diagnosis and urgent treatment are primordial to reduce both mortality and morbidity. We describe the case of a 45-year-old man who met with a traffic accident and was brought to the emergency department. Progressively, he developed dyspnoea and coughing. The diagnosis of a tracheal rupture was established and the rupture was closed surgically. The management of the patient with suspected tracheal rupture is discussed.

Management of Severe Burn Wounds Colonized With Multi-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Fusarium Using Marine Omega3 Wound Matrix in a Female Victim of War

“…Tracheal ruptures are rare and may occur after blunt trauma 15 , 16 ; however, they are sometimes also the result of intubation in the emergency setting. Such iatrogenic tracheal ruptures are often related to difficult airways requiring multiple intubation attempts.…”

Concomitant Avulsion Injury of the Subclavian Vessels and the Main Bronchus Caused by Blunt Trauma

“…The diagnosis of a tracheobronchial injury is difficult [ 3 ]. A bronchial injury is suspected when continuous air leakage is present.…”

“…A bronchial injury is suspected when continuous air leakage is present. Bronchial injuries are diagnosed through bronchoscopy, and CT scans can localize the level of the rupture [ 2 , 3 ]. In this case, the bronchial injury could not be found due to severe swelling of the mediastinal tissue, and bronchial patency was observed on the first CT scan.…”

“…The bronchial injury was identified later via bronchoscopy due to total atelectasis of the left lung on a chest X-ray. The early detection of bronchial injuries is crucial, as delayed diagnoses can be lethal [ 3 ]. In this case, although the bronchial injury was not found immediately, the patient survived due to the application of ECMO.…”

“…The early repair of bronchial injuries results in good outcomes, with an almost complete recovery of pulmonary function. Delayed repair attempts may have complications such as poorer lung function, an increased risk of empyema, and hilar abscesses [ 3 ]. Furthermore, the mortality of pneumonectomy for patients in shock approaches 100% due to uncontrolled hemorrhage or acute right heart failure [ 4 ].…”