Pneumomediastinum and (bilateral) pneumothorax after high energy trauma: Indications for emergency bronchoscopy

Martijn R Groenendijk; Koen J Hartemink; Chris Dickhoff; Leo M G Geeraedts Jr; Maartje Terra; Patrick Thoral; Sayed M S Hashemi

doi:10.1016/j.rmcr.2014.06.003

Pneumomediastinum and (bilateral) pneumothorax after high energy trauma: Indications for emergency bronchoscopy

Respir Med Case Rep. 2014 Jul 11:13:9-11. doi: 10.1016/j.rmcr.2014.06.003. eCollection 2014.

Authors

Martijn R Groenendijk¹, Koen J Hartemink², Chris Dickhoff³, Leo M G Geeraedts Jr⁴, Maartje Terra⁴, Patrick Thoral⁵, Sayed M S Hashemi⁶

Affiliations

¹ Department of Intensive Care, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands ; Department of Pulmonary Diseases, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
² Department of Surgery, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands ; Department of Surgery, Netherlands Cancer Institute - Antoni van Leeuwenhoek Hospital, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
³ Department of Surgery, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands ; Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
⁴ Department of Trauma Surgery, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
⁵ Department of Intensive Care, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
⁶ Department of Pulmonary Diseases, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Abstract

High energy trauma may cause injury to tracheobronchial structures. This is sometimes difficult to diagnose immediately. Pneumomediastinum and (bilateral) pneumothorax seen on a CT-scan of the thorax may suggest possible damage to central airways. Emergency bronchoscopy should be performed to detect and locate a possible tracheobronchial injury.

Keywords: Emergency bronchoscopy; Pneumomediastinum; Pneumothorax; Tracheobronchial injury; Trauma.