Tracheobronchial injuries in childhood: review of two cases.

ABSTRACT

Penetrating injuries of the tracheobronchial tree in children are very rare. With prompt diagnosis nonoperative treatment seems to be appropriate and safe without complications. Delayed diagnosis may result in surgical exploration with severe complications afterwards caused by poor condition at the time of intervention. Two children with penetrating tracheobronchial injuries were referred to our pediatric surgical center in the last 12 years. A 10-year-old boy suffered an iatrogenic penetrating injury of the tracheobronchial tree, and a 6-year-old boy a direct penetrating injury of the distal trachea in an agricultural accident. Cervical emphysema and bronchoscopy identified the lesion in these patients. Both of them could be treated conservatively without any sequelae.