Traumatic Tracheal Transection: Surgical Challenges and Management

Traumatic Tracheal Transection: Surgical Challenges and Management Banswal Lalit P et al

Abstract

does not survive long enough to refer to trauma centre. Timely intervention and airway management is lifesaving. This is a case report of 32-year-old man injured in a motor vehicular accident at high speed sustained a crush injury of the neck and face with complete transection of the cervical trachea. He was aphonic, severely dyspnoeic with wound over neck on anterior aspect with bleeding and visualised tracheal transection. There was associated multiple injuries. The patient was taken to emergency surgery. Small tracheostomy tube was directly inserted into open tracheal wound after suctioning. Treatment was by primary closure of the tracheal wound with tracheostomy. These potentially lethal injuries are saved with early initiation of the advanced trauma life support protocol. Such patient requires urgent ventilatory support.