[Overlooked bronchial rupture after blunt thoracic injury].

A 72-year-old man developed a total atelectasis of the right lung six weeks after a blunt trauma in a motor vehicle accident. Bronchoscopy demonstrated a total fibrotic occlusion of the right main bronchus. By re-examination of earlier case sheets and chest x-rays it was suspected that the patient had suffered a partiel bronchial rupture from the accident. One and a half centimetres of the bronchus were resected with a good result. Findings and treatment of this rare complication are discussed.