Management of penetrating injuries of the cervical trachea.

This is a report of a 2-year experience with the management of penetrating injury of the cervical trachea. There were 29 cases. The respiratory status of the patient on admission dominated the initial management: 12 patients required emergency intubation and were immediately taken to operation, while 17 patients were more stable and could be subjected to the preoperative assessment of the oesophagus. Associated injuries were significant and dominated the postoperative morbidity and mortality. Primary repair of the trachea, without tracheostomy, was successful in a relatively high proportion of patients (55%).