Tracheobronchial injury in blunt and penetrating chest trauma

Ten patients were seen in Northern Syria with tracheobronchial injury from June 1986 to July 1988. Eight were male; and five were children. Blunt trauma was the cause of rupture in five and penetrating trauma in five. Nine patients had associated injuries. In seven, the diagnosis was made within 24 h. The seven patients who had surgery were well at last follow-up, as was a child with a main bronchial tear who was treated conservatively. Two men died without having surgery, one of respiratory failure and sepsis and the other of hemorrhagic shock. The group's mean age was 17.5 years. The average hospital stay was six days (eight for survivors), and the follow-up period was seven months. The clinical presentations and outcome stress the essential role of early chest x-ray and bronchoscopy, as well as a high index of suspicion.