title: Late Intrathoracic Tracheal Stricture After Blunt Chest Trauma: A Rare Life-Threatening Condition.
abstract: Tracheal injury after blunt chest trauma is a rare but life-threatening condition. If diagnosed and treated early, the outcome is excellent. We report a case of an 18-year-old man who sustained a fracture of the right femur in a traffic accident. He underwent operation under spinal anesthesia and was discharged home after 2 weeks. Six weeks later, he was readmitted with acute respiratory distress, stridor, and drowsiness. Arterial blood gas analysis showed hypercarbia (PCO2 of 80 mm Hg; PO2 of 60 mm Hg). He was intubated with difficulty and ventilated. A computed tomographic (CT) scan of the chest showed a very tight supracarinal tracheal stricture. Emergency surgical resection of the tracheal stricture was performed, and an end-to-end anastomosis was fashioned. The patient had an excellent recovery.
authors.affiliation: Division of Thoracic Surgery, King Fahad Specialist Hospital, Dammam, Saudi Arabia. Electronic address: drihc@hotmail.co.uk.
authors.forename: Ikram
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Chaudhry
authors.affiliation: Division of Thoracic Surgery, King Fahad Specialist Hospital, Dammam, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Fozan W
authors.initials: FW
authors.lastname: Aldulaijan
authors.affiliation: Division of Thoracic Surgery, King Fahad Specialist Hospital, Dammam, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Zahra
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Alhajji
authors.affiliation: Division of Thoracic Surgery, King Fahad Specialist Hospital, Dammam, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Ahsan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cheema
authors.affiliation: Division of Thoracic Surgery, King Fahad Specialist Hospital, Dammam, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Hadi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mutairi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D004638:Emergency Treatment; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013898:Thoracic Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D013997:Time Factors; D014135:Tracheal Stenosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D014949:Wounds, Nonpenetrating / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*