Thoracoscopic treatment of iatrogenic injuries of the tracheobronchial tree: a retrospective analysis of 5 cases and review of the literature

INTRODUCTION: Iatrogenic injuries to the trachea and main bronchi present one of the most dramatic complications traditionally treated by thoracotomy and transcervical-transtracheal approaches but almost never by video-assisted thoracic surgery. AIM: To evaluate our experience in a video-assisted thoracic surgery repair of iatrogenic tracheal lacerations. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The group under analysis consisted of 5 consecutive patients (1 male, mean age: 52 years, range: 32–56 years) who were treated for postintubation and intraoperative damage to the tracheobronchial tree using video-assisted thoracic surgery within the period 2015–2018. Thoracic computed tomography and fibreoptic tracheobronchoscopy were used to confirm iatrogenic tracheal ruptures before surgery. The membranous rupture of the trachea was closed with interrupted absorbable sutures, which were additionally sutured through the oesophageal wall or the wall of the gastric conduit to strengthen the suture line. Postoperative treatment included broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy and control tracheobronchoscopy. RESULTS: The average duration of thoracoscopic tracheal rupture repair with suture line reinforcement was 103 min (range: 60–180 min). All patients were treated thoracoscopically without resorting to open surgery and were discharged without any postoperative complications within 16 days (range: 8–22 days). CONCLUSIONS: The minimally invasive thoracoscopic approach may be the method of choice for the treatment of intraoperative and post-intubation injuries of the tracheobronchial tree.