Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2001; 49(4): 231-233
DOI: 10.1055/s-2001-16099
Case Report
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Bronchial Repair with Pulmonary Preservation for Severe Blunt Trauma[]

G. Rocco, M. Allen
  • Division of General Thoracic Surgery, Mayo Clinic and Mayo Foundation, Rochester, MN, U.S.A.
Further Information

Publication History

Publication Date:
31 December 2001 (online)

After a motorcycle accident, a 22-year-old male was diagnosed with multiple rib fractures, left-sided tension pneumothorax, hemothorax and left upper lobe bronchus rupture at its origin. An emergency left thoracotomy revealed an almost complete avulsion of the upper lobe bronchus from the main stem bronchus, a severely damaged pulmonary artery, and a concurrent deep intraparenchymal lower lobe laceration. Since the patient was hemodynamically stable, a decision was made to preserve as much lung as possible. In the event of complex pulmonary trauma, pulmonary preservation is desirable since emergency pneumonectomy is usually associated with high mortality. Early bronchoscopic assessment, careful anesthetic management, and meticulous surgical technique with liberal use of fibrin glue were crucial to successful outcome.

1 Dr. Rocco is presently Consultant Thoracic Surgeon, Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Northern General Hospital, Sheffield, United Kingdom

References

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1 Dr. Rocco is presently Consultant Thoracic Surgeon, Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Northern General Hospital, Sheffield, United Kingdom

Received for Publication: November 9, 1999

Gaetano RoccoM.D. 

Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery
Northern General Hospital

Herries Road S5 7AU Sheffield,

United Kingdom

Phone: +44-114-2714950

Fax: +44-114-2610350

Email: grocco@tany.fsnet.co.uk