ABSTRACT

In this study, the demographic features and treatment results of our patients hospitalized due to thoracic trauma were presented and it was aimed to share our experience. Chart records of the 748 patients hospitalized due to thoracic trauma between 1994 and 2008 were investigated retrospectively. The patients were analyzed according to age, gender, the type of trauma, diagnostic procedure, clinical findings, presence of accompanying trauma, surgical intervention and its indications, duration of hospitalization, complication and mortality. Of our cases, 673 (90%) were male and 75 (10%) were female. The median age was 31.9 (5 to 94) years. Of our patients with thoracic trauma, 377 (50.4%) had blunt and 371 (49.6%) had penetrating traumas. The most common causes of thoracic trauma were gun shot wounds (n=294, 39.3%), vehicle accidents (n=279, 37.3%) and stab wounds (n=77, 10.3%). The most common clinical pictures were hemothorax (n=174, 23.3%), hemopneumothorax (n=154, 20.6%), pneumothorax (n=142, 19%), pulmonary contusion (n=136, 18.2%) and rib fracture (n=104, 13.9%). Mean duration of hospitalization was 6.97 days, and mortality rate was 0.014%. The most important cause, which increases mortality in thoracic traumas is associated organ injuries. The patients with thoracic trauma should be carefully be examined with respect to probable asoociated organ injuries.

Keywords: Blunt trauma, penetrating trauma, thoracic trauma