[Tracheal and bronchial rupture after blunt thoracic trauma]

Airway disruptions after blunt chest trauma are rather infrequent with an incidence of about 1%. Even in large centers with many such casualties they are episodical. The clinical picture is not an uniform one, and typical clinical signs occur often without an airway lesion. Therefore, the correct diagnosis may be delayed. Two case reports, one with a tracheal rupture, the other with complete disruption of the main right bronchus are presented. Both patients showed significant soft tissue emphysema, increasing dyspnea and hypoxia respectively within a few hours after their accident. The diagnosis was established bronchoscopically after time intervals of 8 and 32 hours respectively, followed by immediate surgical correction. Both patients experienced a smooth recovery with good longterm results. In blunt chest trauma presenting with subcutaneous emphysema, pneumomediastinum, pneumothorax, hemoptysis and respiratory distress, tracheobronchial disruption should be considered. In this case, expert bronchoscopy, preferably by a surgeon with large thoracic experience, is mandatory.