@article{ref1,
title="Traumatic intrathoracic tracheobronchial injuries: a study of 78 cases",
journal="Asian cardiovascular and thoracic annals",
year="2014",
author="Alassal, Mohamed A. and Ibrahim, Bedir M. and Elsadeck, Nabil",
volume="22",
number="7",
pages="816-823",
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.<p /><p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0218-4923",
doi="10.1177/0218492313516777",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0218492313516777"
}