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Published on: July 10, 2012
Tracheobronchial injuries in children
1Department of Pediatric General Surgery, Children's Hospital, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
Insights
Blunt thoracic trauma can cause severe tracheobronchial injuries. Early diagnosis and surgical repair of bronchial disruptions are successful, while tracheal injuries may be managed non-surgically.
Area of Science:
- Trauma Surgery
- Thoracic Surgery
- Pulmonology
Background:
- Tracheobronchial injuries are severe consequences of blunt thoracic trauma.
- Prompt diagnosis and management are crucial for patient outcomes.
Observation:
- A review of five patients with tracheobronchial injuries over nine years.
- Four patients had bronchial disruption, one had tracheal disruption.
- Diagnosis of bronchial injuries was delayed in some cases despite early suspicion.
Findings:
- All four bronchial disruptions were successfully repaired surgically, with one requiring lobectomy.
- One patient developed postoperative bronchial stenosis, successfully treated with dilatation.
- The tracheal injury was diagnosed early via bronchoscopy and managed non-surgically.
Implications:
- Tracheobronchial injuries necessitate a high index of suspicion for timely diagnosis.
- Surgical repair of bronchial injuries demonstrates high success rates.
- Non-surgical management is a viable option for specific tracheal injuries.
Abstract:
Five patients with tracheobronchial injuries secondary to blunt thoracic trauma were reviewed over a 9-year period. Bronchial disruption occurred in four cases and tracheal disruption in one. Of the four patients with bronchial disruption, a major airway injury was suspected early because of a large air leak or persistent pulmonary atelectasis. However, definitive diagnosis by bronchoscopy was delayed from 4 to 16 days due to initial response to conservative management. Bronchial repair was achieved in every case: additional lobectomy was required in only one instance. Postoperative bronchial stenosis occurred in one patient and responded well to dilatation. The child with a blowout perforation of the trachea was diagnosed early by bronchoscopy and was successfully managed without surgery. Tracheobronchial injury is one of the most severe injuries caused by blunt trauma and requires a high index of suspicion for early diagnosis and surgery. Bronchial repair is successful in most instances.
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