Bronchoscopic diagnosis of an extensive tracheal laceration

Tracheal lacerations resulting from endotracheal intubation are extremely rare. We report a case where the initial diagnosis was misled by the radiological findings. Our case uniquely emphasizes several issues pertinent to the management of tracheal lacerations. We review the published works on this topic and emphasize the role of fibre-optic bronchoscopy in the assessment of airway injuries before operative management.