Tracheobronchial lacerations after intubation and tracheostomy

Abstract

Background: Although long-term complications of intubation and tracheostomy are well documented, little has been reported on acute complications of airway access techniques.

Methods: Fourteen patients (1 male and 13 female patients) aged 15 to 80 years presented with tracheobronchial lacerations after single-lumen intubation (n = 9), double-lumen intubation (n = 1), or tracheostomy (n = 4).

Results: A left bronchial laceration after double-lumen intubation was discovered and repaired intraoperatively. A tracheal laceration after single-lumen intubation was recognized during induction of anesthesia. The remaining 12 were diagnosed within 6 to 126 hours (median, 24 hours) after injury. All patients had mediastinal and subcutaneous emphysema. At endoscopy, 12 injuries were located in the thoracic trachea and 1 in the cervical trachea. Twelve underwent primary repair through a right thoracotomy (n = 11) or left cervicotomy (n = 1), and 1 was treated conservatively. Two patients with tracheostomy injury died postoperatively. All repairs healed well but one. The latter was performed 5 days after the injury; a dehiscence occurred, but healed spontaneously.

Conclusions: We conclude that prognosis of tracheal lacerations depends both on the general health of the patient and on the rapidity of diagnosis and treatment.