[Tracheobronchial rupture in childhood].

Tracheobronchial rupture after blunt trauma is rare, especially in a pediatric population. In this paper, we report the case of a 3-year-old child who presented with a rupture of the tracheobronchial tree as a result of multiple injuries (thoracic and cerebral) sustained from a traffic accident. The surgical repair consisted of a sleeve resection (right upper lobectomy with reanastomosis of the bronchus intermedius to the right stem bronchus). As tracheobronchial rupture is a rare condition, particularly in children, physicians must have a high index of suspicion. The diagnosis and treatment of this condition are discussed. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.