CTICasesTracheoesophageal Injury from Blunt Trauma
Imaging findings
CT neck and chest in a patient post-blunt force neck trauma shows a focal tear (fracture) of the posterior membranous wall of the trachea associated with pneumomediastinum and subcutaneous emphysema, along with a mucosal tear of the adjacent esophagus.
Key takeaways
Blunt trauma to the neck can compress the airway against the cervical spine, causing tracheal rupture. Because the trachea and esophagus share a tight fascial sheath (the tracheoesophageal space), tracheal fractures are frequently associated with esophageal lacerations, which must be ruled out using contrast esophagography to prevent mediastinitis.
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