Trauma Case Reports | 2021
Blunt bronchial injury management with veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation providing a peri-operative ‘survival bridge’☆
Abstract
Bronchial injury is a rare and morbid complication of blunt trauma. It should be suspected in patients with refractory hypoxia despite adequate chest decompression, with flexible bronchoscopy the investigation of choice. This paper reports on the use of Venovenous Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (VV ECMO) to maintain oxygenation of a patient with blunt bronchial injury in the perioperative period. VV ECMO provides a bridge to survival, providing time to perform investigations, to identify and stabilise other injuries, and to more accurately prognosticate.