[Diagnosis and treatment of injuries to the tracheo-bronchial system (author's transl)].

Clinical symptoms such as mediastinal and tissue emphysema, impaired inflow with cyanosis and extreme dyspnoea, signs of tension pneumothorax suggest rupture of a bronchus; nonstop loss of air via intercostal drainage is an almost certain sign and bronchoscopy provides the final proof. Injury to smaller bronchi may remain asymptomatic. 1,600 persons were treated for chest injury during the past 17 years, 7 of them on account of a ruptured bronchus. The right and left main bronchus were involved in 4 cases and one case respectively. The bronchus of the right upper lobe and the trachea were ruptured in one case each. Once the injury has been diagnosed surgical repair should follow quickly, although the results of anastomoses performed at a later stage were also satisfactory. Closure was by chromcut knotted sutures. Partial pneumonectomy is indicated only if damage to the lungs is extensive. The postoperative respiratory function of the injured lung was satisfactory in all cases.