Delayed Presentation of An Isolated Tracheal Injury Following Direct Blunt Anterior Neck Trauma

Published in Injury Extra on October 2008

L.T. Teo 1, H. Chan 2, M.T. Chiu 1
1 Trauma and General Surgery, Department of General Surgery, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore
2 Department of General Surgery, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore

Introduction

Blunt injuries to the cervical trachea are rare but if present, are usually associated with either a direct impact the neck or acceleration—deceleration injuries. Patients with tracheal lacerations or ruptures tend to present acutely with signs of airway embarrassment. Such injuries are associated with concomitant injuries to the cervical structures. This particular type of injury thus presents a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge to emergency physicians, anaesthetists and surgeons alike. We present a case which is extremely rare in its clinical presentation. In addition, we propose a possible alternative way to manage a delayed anterior cervical trachea laceration.