Right Main Bronchus Disruption Discovered after One Year of Blunt Chest Trauma

Abstract

Central airway injury is a very rare entity during blunt chest trauma. It is serious and may be fatal. Usually, it has fundamental manifestations but in some cases, it is insidious and has been discovered lately. It’s suspected when major air leaks from the chest tube and the lung fail to expand despite adequate chest drainage. Right main bronchus injuries are the most frequent. Diagnosis can be suspected clinically and confirmed by Ct scan and bronchoscopy. Conservative management can be applied in special cases but the majority of cases need surgical intervention which depends on primary reconstruction. An early diagnosis and treatment can avoid dramatic complications and provide complete recovery. Associated other organ injury is common and is an important mortality factor. Close cooperation with the emergency team and anesthesiologists is necessary. Here I presented a case of right main bronchus disruption discovered after one year of blunt chest trauma with complete lung atelectasis, managed successfully by resection of the fibrotic injured bronchus and primary reconstruction saving the lung.