Bronchial Ruptures after Blunt Trauma in Two Patients: Different Time of Diagnosis and Different Prognosis

ABSTRACT

Bronchial injury due to blunt trauma is often associated with other significant injuries; as a result, making a rapid diagnosis can be difficult. Delay of early diagnosis and surgical treatment can result in a fatal course, including persistent pneumothorax, soft tissue emphysema, lung collapse, recurrent infection, or death. Bronchoscopy remains a reliable diagnostic method; however, it is difficult to perform in the emergency department. In some cases, suspicion of emergency physicians, depending on findings observed on computed tomography scan, can be more helpful than bronchoscopy. In this article, we present two cases of bronchial injury after blunt chest trauma; differences in prognosis were dependent on the time taken to make a decision.