[Diagnosis and treatment of traumatic tracheobronchial ruptures: report of 17 cases].

Objective To evaluate the diagnosis and treatment of tracheobronchial ruptures due to thoracic trauma. Methods The clinical data of 17 cases of bronchial rupture caused by chest trauma was analyzed retrospectively. The surgical approaches and post-trauma complications were described. Results End-to-end anastomosis was performed in 14 cases. Among the other 3 patients, one received lobectomy after bronchial repair, another had tracheal repair, and resection of the stenosed segment along with end-to-end anastomosis during thoracotomy was necessitated in the last case. Anastomotic stricture occurred early after the operation in 2 of all these cases, while 2 months postoperatively, all the patients were free from such strictures. Conclusion Early diagnosis and operation in such cases can be life-saving, and may warrant early recovery of the pulmonary function. Accurate diagnoses of bronchial rupture can be obtained by bronchoscopy, with which the surgeons can easily locate the rupture during surgery.