Thoracic tracheal injuries secondary to knife penetration: A case report

Tracheobronchial injuries secondary to penetrating chest trauma are rare; however, associated organ injuries lead to a high mortality rate. We report a case of tracheal injury due to penetrating chest trauma involving a patient who underwent life-saving emergency surgery. A woman aged 59 underwent emergency surgery following knife penetration caudally from the right supraclavicular area. She presented with the knife stuck in her body. Therefore, changing the patient's position was difficult, and we performed a median sternotomy with the patient placed supine. The right tracheal wall was injured; however, we did not identify any adjacent organ injury or complication. Intraoperatively, we created an additional intercostal chest incision, which facilitated optimal visualization of the surgical field. We secured the pulmonary artery and vein, safely removed the knife, and repaired the trachea. Postoperatively, we observed no serious complications, and the patient followed an uneventful course. Surgical repair remains the primary treatment for tracheal injuries. However, the therapeutic approach is individualized and varies based on the site of injury. Surgeons should consider the risk of intraoperative injury to the large blood vessels, heart, and other adjacent organs.