Surgical or conservative management of post intubation tracheal injury: when and how?

Iatrogenic tracheal or tracheobronchial injuries occur after intubation, percutaneous tracheostomy or rigid bronchoscopy. The incidence is relatively rare; however, this complication can potentially be life-threating. We report 13 patients with an iatrogenic tracheal laceration treated between 2011 and 2019 and a literature review to assess the different treatment options. On the base of our experience and the review of the literature surgical treatment remains the gold standard; conservative management is safe in clinically stable patients without complications like pneumomediastinum, mediastinitis or oesophageal laceration.