Repair of Tracheobronchial Injuries

Tracheobronchial injuries (TBIs) are caused by blunt, penetrating injury or by iatrogenic damage. Most injuries are life threatening and need early and skillful airway management. Bronchoscopy remains the gold standard of diagnosis. Penetrating TBI always needs blunt trauma, and iatrogenic TBI sometimes needs surgical exploration and reconstruction, which is performed after sparing debridement with primary repair and wound closure. Prognosis mainly depends on associated injuries and comorbidities in terms of tracheal membrane laceration.