Tracheobronchial Trauma

---

DEFINITION
Injury to the major airway passages, unusual and often catastrophic.

D E A B M I M

---

EPIDEMIOLOGY
Unusual
D E A B M I M

---

AETIOLOGY
Trauma.

D E A B M I M

---

BIOLOGICAL BEHAVIOUR

Pathophysiology
Most injuries occur within 1 inch of the carina

D E A B M I M

---

MANIFESTATIONS

Many die at the scene.
Haemoptysis
Subcutaneous emphysema.
Tension pneumothorax
Persistent air leak after chest tube insertion.


D E A B M I M

---

INVESTIGATIONS

Bronchoscopy
D E A B M I M

---

MANAGEMENT

Many die at scene
Those that don't often die at hospital from assiciated injuries
Opposite main stem bronchial intubation may be temporarily required for oxygenation.
- intubation may be difficult due to anatomic distortions from haematoma, injury.
Immediate surgical consultation and possibly operative intervention is indicated.
- some more stable pts, operative Rx may be delayed until acute inflammation/oedema has settled.

D E A B M I M

---

REFERENCES

---