Tracheal rupture developing after blunt thoracic trauma

Hasan Kara, Aysegul Bayir, Ahmet Ak, Necmettin Tufekci, Selim Degirmenci, Murat Akinci

Department of Emergency Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Sel?uk University, Konya, Turkey;.

DOI: 10.4236/crcm.2013.29131                

Abstract

Tracheal and bronchial injuries are life-threatening traumas that usually develop after traffic accidents or a fall from heights. The most common cause is motor vehicle accidents. Tracheobronchial injuries develop in 1%-2% of blunt thoracic traumas. The mortality rate is 30% in these patients and deaths usually occur within the first hours. Sixty five percent of surviving patients are diagnosed in later periods where complications are frequent. In conclusion, clinical evaluation and diagnostic tests should be performed immediately and carefully. In this study, a patient who developed tracheal rupture after blunt cervical and thoracic trauma was presented.

 

Keywords

Blunt Cervical Trauma; Blunt Thoracic Trauma; Tracheal Rupture

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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