Delayed Tension Pneumothorax - Identification and Treatment in Traumatic Bronchial Injury: An Interesting Presentation.

A 13-year-old girl, who did not receive any treatment for few hours following Road Traffic Injury (RTI), reported to the Casualty Department and found to have patent airway with clinically normal C spine, air-hunger (RR 42/minute), trachea deviated to left, distended neck veins and absent breath sounds on the right side. The chest X-ray she carried, done immediately after the injury, showed right sided tension pneumothorax. She was put on oxygen at 11 L/minute and an Intercostal chest tube drainage (ICD) was inserted on right side. Her oxygen saturation (40%) failed to improve. ICD bag showed continuous bubbling and air entry remained absent on the right side. An urgent right thoracotomy was done which revealed right main bronchus tear; the tear was repaired using interrupted Prolene® sutures. Patient recovered well and was discharged 10 days later in a stable condition.