Torn Tracheal Mucosa

A torn tracheal mucosa should be attended to immediately, since it is an injury to the inner lining of the trachea, the tube that carries air to the lungs. It is usually due to trauma or airway maneuvers.

Warning signs: difficulty breathing, coughing up blood, pain in the neck or chest, and air trapped under the skin, which produces a crackling sensation.

Which specialist treats it? Assessment of the airway is the job of the pulmonologist, and the thoracic surgeon steps in when the injury requires repair. In the face of sudden difficulty breathing or coughing up blood after trauma, seeking urgent medical care is the right course of action.