Outcome of repair of bronchial injury in 10 patients with blunt chest trauma

BackgroundBronchial avulsion is a serious complication of blunt chest trauma, which can be easily missed on initial presentation of a patient with multiple injuries. Missing the diagnosis may increase the risk of mortality and morbidity.MethodsWe evaluated the outcome of 10 patients with bronchial injury following blunt chest trauma, who underwent bronchial anastomosis in Quaem Hospital, Mashhad, Iran and Imam Khomeini Hospital, Tehran, Iran, from 2001 to 2012. There were 8 men and 2 women with a mean age of 23.1 ± 4.72 years. Associated injuries were ruled out in all cases. Demographic characteristics, anatomical location of the injury, mechanism of injury, complications of bronchial anastomosis, and one-year follow-up of the patients were studied.ResultsEight patients had injury to the right main bronchus and 2 had injury to the left main bronchus. The time between surgery and diagnosis ranged from immediately to 6 months after injury. One death occurred in the operating room immediately after injury, d...