Combined tracheobronchial and thoracic vascular injury in children following blunt trauma to the chest is potentially life-threatening and almost certain to be fatal unless managed promptly. We report one such incident where prompt identification and early aggressive surgical management prevented an almost certain fatal outcome in a 5-year-old girl with complete disruption of the right main bronchus just distal to the carina, and a tear in the right pulmonary artery.
PryorSDLeeLK. Clinical outcomes and diagnostic imaging of pediatric patients with pneumomediastinum secondary to blunt trauma to the chest. J Trauma2011; 71: 904–908.
2.
RossbachMMJohnsonSBGomezMASakoEYMillerOLCalhoonJH. Management of major tracheobronchial injuries: a 28-year experience. Ann Thorac Surg1998; 65: 182–186.
3.
GrantWJMeyersRLJaffeRLJohnsonDG. Tracheobronchial injuries after blunt chest trauma in children—hidden pathology. J Pediatr Surg1998; 33: 1707–1711.
4.
RamzyAIRodriguezATurneySZ. Management of major tracheo-bronchial ruptures in patients with multiple system trauma. J Trauma1988; 28: 1353–1357.
5.
MooreMAWallaceECWestraSJ. The imaging of paediatric thoracic trauma [Review]. Pediatr Radiol2009; 39: 485–496.
6.
Reinoso-BarberoFSanabriaPBuenoJSusoB. High-frequency ventilation for a child with traumatic bronchial rupture. Anesth Analg1995; 81: 183–185.
7.
VoelckelWWenzelVRiegerMAntretterHPadoschSSchobersbergerW. Temporary extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in the treatment of acute traumatic lung injury. Can J Anaesth1998; 45: 1097–1102.
8.
HancockBJWisemanNE. Tracheobronchial injuries in children. J Pediatr Surg1991; 26: 1316–1319.
9.
De WaeleJJVermassenFEDe RooseJ. Bronchial rupture after direct chest trauma in a child. Acta Chir Belg2001; 101: 40–41.
10.
BoubiaSFouraijiKElkariASibaiHChlilekMRidaiM. Tracheobronchial rupture in childhood. Arch Pediatr2010; 17: 1059–1061.
