Veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in the surgical management of post-traumatic intrathoracic tracheal transection

Complete traumatic blunt tracheal transection is a rare but life-threatening event, and urgent tracheal repair is required to restore ventilation (1). Emergent intubation of the distal tracheal stump bridging the lesion by means of tracheostomy or under bronchoscopic guidance is usually required to restore adequate gas exchange.