Traumatic Pediatric Tracheal Rupture After Blunt Force Sporting Injury: Case Report and Review of the Literature.

OBJECTIVE

This paper presents the case of a traumatic tracheal rupture in a pediatric patient. The body of literature of the clinical features, evaluation, and management of this uncommon presentation is discussed.

CASE: A 13-year-old boy sustained an intrathoracic tracheal rupture whilst playing Australian Rules football. He developed hallmark clinical features of air extravasation and was intubated prior to transfer to a tertiary pediatric center for further management. After a short trial of conservative management, his respiratory status deteriorated and he was taken to the operating theater for open surgical repair of the defect.

CONCLUSION

Traumatic rupture of the trachea is a rare injury in children. This case demonstrates the dynamic nature of this serious injury and the need for multidisciplinary care in achieving the optimal outcome.