One Case of Tracheal Rupture after Blunt Chest Trauma Diagnosed Early by Fiberoptic Bronchoscopy.

Park, Byung Kyu; Kim, Do Gyun; Ko, Won Ki; Ahn, Sang Hoon; Yang, Dong Gyoo; Kim, Sung Kyu; Lee, Won Young; Kim, Kil Dong

doi:1999.46.4.586

Tuberc Respir Dis > Volume 46(4); 1999 > Article

Case Report

Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases 1999;46(4):586-590.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4046/trd.1999.46.4.586 Published online April 1, 1999.

One Case of Tracheal Rupture after Blunt Chest Trauma Diagnosed Early by Fiberoptic Bronchoscopy.

Byung Kyu Park, Do Gyun Kim, Won Ki Ko, Sang Hoon Ahn, Dong Gyoo Yang, Sung Kyu Kim, Won Young Lee, Kil Dong Kim

¹Department of Internal Medicine,Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
²Department of Thoracic Surgery, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.

Abstract

Tracheobronchial rupture is one of the less-common injuries associated with blunt chest trauma. The diagnosis of tracheobronchial rupture is not easy, but failure to diagnosis may lead to death or long-term disability. Early diagnosis and appropriate management can reduce the mortality and morbidity. Bronchoscopy is the diagnostic method of choice for patients with tracheobronchial rupture. We report a case of tracheal rupture after blunt chest trauma. A 40-year-old man was transferred to our hospital for dyspnea after blunt chest trauma. He was promptly diagnosed as tracheal rupture by fiberoptic bronchoscopy and chest computed tomogram. He was successfully managed by thoracotomy and primary repair.

Key Words: Tracheal rupture, Blunt chest trauma, Bronchoscopy