title: Traumatic intrathoracic tracheobronchial injuries: a study of 78 cases.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Tracheobronchial injuries are encountered with increasing frequency because of improvements in pre-hospital care. We reviewed our experience of these injuries to determine how to better recognize them and facilitate their correct management.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with traumatic non-iatrogenic intrathoracic tracheobronchial injuries managed in 2 tertiary centers in Saudi Arabia between 2000 and 2012, were studied. Clinical presentation, diagnostic evaluation, management, and outcome were reviewed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  78 patients with tracheobronchial injuries were included in this study. They were divided into 2 groups according to the management strategy. Forty-seven patients who were managed conservatively, and 31 underwent surgery. Surgery allowed shorter intensive care unit and hospital stays; otherwise, the results were comparable between the two groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Early recognition and expedient appropriate management are essential in these potentially lethal injuries. Operative management can be achieved with acceptable mortality, and conservative treatment should be considered as a valuable alternative to the well-established surgical treatment.
authors.affiliation: Prince Salman Heart Center, King Fahd Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Cardiothoracic Surgery Department, Banha University, Egypt dmohamedabdelwahab@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Mohamed A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Alassal
authors.affiliation: Cardiothoracic Surgery Department, Tanta University, Egypt.
authors.forename: Bedir M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Ibrahim
authors.affiliation: Cardiothoracic Surgery Department, Zagazig University, Egypt Cardiothoracic Surgery Department, Asir Central Hospital, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Nabil
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Elsadeck
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001980:Bronchi / Q000293:injuries / Q000601:surgery*; D001999:Bronchoscopy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012529:Saudi Arabia; D062606:Tertiary Care Centers; D013898:Thoracic Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D019616:Thoracic Surgical Procedures; D013997:Time Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014132:Trachea / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014949:Wounds, Nonpenetrating / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D014950:Wounds, Penetrating / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Bronchi; Bronchoscopy; Trachea; Wounds; nonpenetrating; penetrating