Thoracic Injuries

Abstract

BACKGROUND In this study, it was aimed to assess patients who applied to our clinics with the complaints of thorax trauma, consistent thoracal wall injury, complications due to these traumas, and the therapeutical methodology. METHODS Records of 668 patients, hospitalized at Sureyyapasa Training and Research Hospital and Yuzuncu Yil University Faculty of Medicine between January 1995 and December 2007, were reviewed retrospectively. Three hundred ninety-nine (59.7%) patients had blunt trauma whereas 269 (40.2%) patients had penetrating trauma. Thoracic wall injury was detected in a total of 361 (54%) patients (303 (75.9%) with blunt trauma; 58 (21.5%) with penetrating trauma). RESULTS Patients were assessed according to any developed pathology related with thoracic wall injuries (contusion, hematoma, subcutaneous emphysema, bone fractures, flail chest, penetrating chest wall wounds, and traumatic asphyxia), complications and treatment modality. CONCLUSION Thoracal wall injuries increase morbidity and mortality due to the close proximity of the chest wall to the cardiopulmonary system. At the initial evaluation, even without any corresponding intrathoracic pathology, these patients must be monitored attentively for a probable cardiopulmonary complication for consecutive days.