Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for main airway rupture secondary to severe thoracic trauma: A case report

Thoracic injuries due to severe trauma are common, but major airway rupture is a rare and fatal complication. When a patient suddenly loses effective ventilation, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is an effective rescue method to ensure gas exchange. ECMO can play an important role for patients with severe airway injury who do not respond to conventional treatments. This article reports a rare case of thoracic and abdominal injuries. A 28-year-old freight worker fell from a height of approximately 20 m along with a car. He sustained severe trauma to the chest, and oxygen saturation could not be maintained. Chest CT scan and reconstruction showed bilateral pneumothorax, extensive subcutaneous emphysema in the neck, bilateral chest wall, chest, and back, pulmonary contusion, and multiple rib fractures. An effective multidisciplinary team cooperated to urgently perform ECMO life support and completed airway repair surgery and laparotomy exploration. The patient ultimately achieved a good functional prognosis. After 35 days of recovery, the patient was discharged from the hospital. After 1 to 6 months of follow-up after discharge, his recovery was good. This study provides treatment experience for patients with traumatic main bronchial rupture and may help improve the success rate of treatment for such patients.