Tracheal injury from dog bite in a child

Abstract

BackgroundTracheal injury from dog bites in children is rare. Tracheal injury requires prompt and accurate diagnosis and treatment to rescue the patient. Especially in children, securing the airway is often more difficult than in adults because of their narrow trachea.Case presentationWe report the case of a 3-year-old girl who presented with multiple dog bites. There were multiple wounds on the head, face, neck, and anterior chest, and air leakage was observed from the cervical wound at the time of transfer. It was difficult to perform oral endotracheal intubation, therefore, we extended the neck wound, probed the trachea, inserted a tracheal tube directly from the cervical wound in the emergency room. Tracheoplasty and another wound cleansing were performed in the operating room. The patient was discharged on the 18th day after surgery, without further complications.ConclusionsTracheal injury from a dog bite is rare. It is important prompt and accurate diagnosis and treatment.