Introduction: Thoracic traumas constitute an important part of the patients who are being admitted to the emergency units and deaths due to trauma. The aim of this study was to compare our clinical experience and results of the literature.
Methods: 592 patients with thoracic trauma who were admitted to our clinic between 1996 and 2000 were evaluated retrospectively.
Results: 449 patients (75.8%) had blunt and 43 patients (24.2%) had penetrating thorax trauma. There was rib fracture in 448 patients (75.7%), clavicula fracture in 55 (9.2%), scapula fracture in 31 (5.2%) and sternal fracture in 20 (3.4%). In addition, flail chest was detected in 79 cases (13.3%). The most frequent complications were pneumothorax (n: 158; 26.7%), and hemothorax ( n: 119; 20.1% ). Three hundred and thirty - nine patients (57.2%) were treated by tube thoracostomy and 190 by conservative management (32.1%). Surgical treatment was performed in 99 (16.7%) patients. Morbidity was 18.4% ( n: 109 ) and mortality, 6.4% ( n: 38 ). Mean hospital stay time was 13.4 days (2 - 93 days).
Conclusion: Thoracic traumas can cause vital organ injuries and impaired cardio-respiratory hemodynamics should be treated immediately.