[Tracheobronchial injuries due to blunt thoracic trauma: 10 years experience]

The tracheobronchial injuries are seldom, but life threatening. Their successful diagnosis and treatment require a high level of suspicion. In this report, we reviewed our experience with seven patients with tracheobronchial injuries due to blunt thoracic trauma, treated over the past 10 years. Definitive diagnosis was recognized with bronchoscopy after clinical suspicion. Most injuries were located in the right bronchial tree (five patients), whereas only one patient had an injury located in the left bronchial tree and one in trachea. The majority of the injuries were repaired primarily (five patients) and two required lobectomy. There were no postoperative mortality; but three postoperative complications were noted; one empyema and two partial stenoses on the repair line.