Traumatic rupture of the tracheobronchial tree.

Rupture of the trachea and major bronchi usually results from blunt trauma to the chest. To define the characteristics of the condition, the mechanism of injury, presentation and hospital course, the authors reviewed seven cases of tracheobronchial rupture after blunt trauma. Four were injured in a motor vehicle accident, two had a crush injury and one child had a fall from a playground swing. The site of injury was the left main bronchus in three, membranous trachea in two and bilateral bronchi and bronchus intermedius in one patient each. Bronchoplastic repair was performed in four patients with salvage of lung tissue in three. One patient required pulmonary resection. Two patients with a laceration of the membranous trachea did not undergo operation. Two patients died secondary to associated head injuries; one patient underwent repair of the bronchus intermedius and one patient had a lacerated membranous trachea. The possible mechanisms of injury are: rapid deceleration with forward swing of the trachea, widening of the transverse diameter of the chest, exerting traction on the carina, and a rapid rise of airway pressure on impact. Surgical intervention is recommended at an early stage to avoid loss of lung tissue.