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The Surgical Clinics of North America Oct 2017Management of chest trauma is integral to patient outcomes owing to the vital structures held within the thoracic cavity. Understanding traumatic chest injuries and... (Review)
Review
Management of chest trauma is integral to patient outcomes owing to the vital structures held within the thoracic cavity. Understanding traumatic chest injuries and appropriate management plays a pivotal role in the overall well-being of both blunt and penetrating trauma patients. Whether the injury includes rib fractures, associated pulmonary injuries, or tracheobronchial tree injuries, every facet of management may impact the short- and long-term outcomes, including mortality. This article elucidates the workup and management of the thoracic cage, pulmonary and tracheobronchial injuries.
Topics: Humans; Pneumothorax; Rib Fractures; Thoracic Injuries; Thoracostomy
PubMed: 28958357
DOI: 10.1016/j.suc.2017.06.009 -
Chest Apr 2020Thoracic injury is common on the battlefield and in terrorist attacks, occurring in 10% to 70% of patients depending on the type of weapons used. Typical injuries seen... (Review)
Review
Thoracic injury is common on the battlefield and in terrorist attacks, occurring in 10% to 70% of patients depending on the type of weapons used. Typical injuries seen include bullet, blast, and fragment injuries to the thorax, which are often associated with injuries to other parts of the body. Initial treatment prehospital and in the ED is carried out according to the principles of Tactical Combat Casualty Care or other standard trauma management systems. Immediately life-threatening problems including catastrophic hemorrhage are dealt with rapidly, and early consideration is given to CT scanning or rapid surgical intervention where appropriate. All patients should be given lung-protective ventilation. Treatment of these patients in the critical care unit is complicated by the severity of associated injuries and by features specific to combat trauma including blast lung injury, a high incidence of delirium, unusual infections such as colonization with multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii complex, and sometimes invasive fungal infections. A minority of patients with blast lung injury in published series have been successfully treated with prolonged respiratory support with high-frequency oscillatory ventilation and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. The role of newer treatment options such as resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta is not yet known. In this article we review the relatively sparse literature on this group of patients and provide practical advice based on the literature and our institution's extensive experience of managing battlefield casualties.
Topics: Blast Injuries; Explosions; Humans; Military Medicine; Terrorism; Thoracic Injuries; War-Related Injuries
PubMed: 31605701
DOI: 10.1016/j.chest.2019.09.020 -
Chinese Journal of Traumatology =... Jun 2020Physical traumas are tragic and multifaceted injuries that suddenly threaten life. Although it is the third most common cause of death in all age groups, one out of four... (Review)
Review
Physical traumas are tragic and multifaceted injuries that suddenly threaten life. Although it is the third most common cause of death in all age groups, one out of four trauma patients die due to thoracic injury or its complications. Blunt injuries constitute the majority of chest trauma. This indicates the importance of chest trauma among all traumas. Blunt chest trauma is usually caused by motor vehicle accident, falling from height, blunt instrument injury and physical assault. As a result of chest trauma, many injuries may occur, such as pulmonary injuries, and these require urgent intervention. Chest wall and pulmonary injuries range from rib fractures to flail chest, pneumothorax to hemothorax and pulmonary contusion to tracheobronchial injuries. Following these injuries, patients may present with a simple dyspnea or even respiratory arrest. For such patient, it is important to understand the treatment logic and to take a multidisciplinary approach to treat the pulmonary and chest wall injuries. This is because only 10% of thoracic trauma patients require surgical operation and the remaining 90% can be treated with simple methods such as appropriate airway, oxygen support, maneuvers, volume support and tube thoracostomy. Adequate pain control in chest trauma is sometimes the most basic and best treatment. With definite diagnosis, the morbidity and mortality can be significantly reduced by simple treatment methods.
Topics: Flail Chest; Hemothorax; Humans; Lung Injury; Pain Management; Pneumothorax; Rib Fractures; Thoracic Injuries; Thoracic Wall; Wounds, Nonpenetrating
PubMed: 32417043
DOI: 10.1016/j.cjtee.2020.04.003 -
European Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery... Aug 2023Sternal fractures (SF) are uncommon injuries usually associated with a significant mechanism of injury. Concomitant injury is likely, and a risk of mortality is... (Review)
Review
INTRODUCTION
Sternal fractures (SF) are uncommon injuries usually associated with a significant mechanism of injury. Concomitant injury is likely, and a risk of mortality is substantial.
AIM
Our aim in this study was to identify the risk factors for mortality in patients who had sustained sternal fractures.
METHODS
We conducted a single centre retrospective review of the trust's Trauma Audit and Research Network Database, from May 2014 to July 2021. Our inclusion criteria were any patients who had sustained a sternal fracture. The regions of injury were defined using the Abbreviated Injury Score. Pearson Chi-Squared, Fisher Exact tests and multivariate regression analyses were performed using IBM SPSS.
RESULTS
A total of 249 patients were identified to have sustained a SF. There were 19 patients (7.63%) who had died. The most common concomitant injuries with SF were Rib fractures (56%), Lung Contusions (31.15%) and Haemothorax (21.88%). There was a significant increase in age (59.93 vs 70.06, p = .037) and admission troponin (36.34 vs. 100.50, p = .003) in those who died. There was a significantly lower GCS in those who died (10.05 vs. 14.01, p < .001). On multi regression analysis, bilateral rib injury (p = 0.037, OR 1.104) was the only nominal variable which showed significance in mortality.
CONCLUSION
Sternal Fractures are uncommon but serious injuries. Our review has identified that bilateral rib injuries, increase in age, low GCS, and high admission troponin in the context of SF, were associated with mortality.
Topics: Humans; Trauma Centers; Sternum; Thoracic Injuries; Rib Fractures; Risk Factors; Retrospective Studies; Injury Severity Score
PubMed: 36735092
DOI: 10.1007/s00590-023-03479-0 -
European Journal of Radiology Jan 2019Rib fractures are the most common form of blunt thoracic injury. Multiple rib fractures are an important indicator of trauma severity, with increased morbidity and... (Review)
Review
Rib fractures are the most common form of blunt thoracic injury. Multiple rib fractures are an important indicator of trauma severity, with increased morbidity and mortality occurring with increasing numbers of rib fractures, especially in the elderly. Thoracic cage injuries may be associated with concomitant and potentially life-threating injuries. In the acute setting, correct recognition of the pattern, extent and severity of thoracic cage injuries, may aid in more accurate delineation of concomitant injuries.
Topics: Adult; Aged; Female; Humans; Imaging, Three-Dimensional; Male; Middle Aged; Radiography; Rib Cage; Rib Fractures; Thoracic Injuries; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Wounds, Nonpenetrating
PubMed: 30599865
DOI: 10.1016/j.ejrad.2018.12.003 -
British Journal of Sports Medicine Jul 2014Professional rugby players are prone to traumatic thoracic injuries due to the use of minimal protective gear to cover the torso. In the 2007 Rugby World Cup, thoracic... (Review)
Review
Professional rugby players are prone to traumatic thoracic injuries due to the use of minimal protective gear to cover the torso. In the 2007 Rugby World Cup, thoracic injuries occurred at a rate of 8.3 cases/1000 player-hours. CT and MRI play an important role in the diagnosis of these injuries. Vital internal organs, such as the heart, lungs, trachea, liver and large blood vessels lie within close proximity to the bony structures and what seems to be a simple rib fracture or clavicular dislocation can have potentially life-threatening complications that are not detected by conventional radiography. Cross-sectional imaging helps to determine the choice of treatment. Ultrasound offers a quick and dynamic imaging examination and allows high-resolution assessment of superficial tissues that complements conventional imaging. In this review article, we (1) presented data on incidence of thoracic injuries in professional rugby players; (2) described the anatomy of the joints comprising the thoracic cage and major muscles attached to the rib cage; (3) discussed indications and relevance for MRI and presented an optimised MRI protocol for assessment of suspected thoracic injury; and (4) illustrated various types of thoracic injuries seen in professional rugby players, including sternal contusion, retrosternal haematoma, manubriosternal disruption, sternoclavicular dislocation, rib fractures and injuries of the pectoralis major muscle.
Topics: Diagnostic Imaging; Football; Fractures, Bone; Humans; Male; Manubrium; Muscle, Skeletal; Ribs; Sternoclavicular Joint; Sternum; Thoracic Injuries; Xiphoid Bone
PubMed: 23962879
DOI: 10.1136/bjsports-2013-092681 -
Injury Aug 2020Blunt thoracic injury is present in around 15% of all major trauma presentations. To ensure a standardised approach to the management of physical injury, patient... (Review)
Review
How does the implementation of a patient pathway-based intervention in the acute care of blunt thoracic injury impact on patient outcomes? A systematic review of the literature.
BACKGROUND
Blunt thoracic injury is present in around 15% of all major trauma presentations. To ensure a standardised approach to the management of physical injury, patient pathway-based interventions have been established in many healthcare settings. It currently remains unclear how these complex interventions are implemented and evaluated in the literature. This systematic review aims to identify pathway effectiveness literature and implementation studies in relation to patient pathway-based interventions in blunt thoracic injury care.
METHODS
The databases Medline, Embase, Web of Science, CINAHL, WHO Clinical Trials Register and both the GreyLit & OpenGrey databases were searched without restrictions on date or study type. A search strategy was developed including keywords and MeSH terms relating to blunt thoracic injury, patient pathway-based interventions, evaluation and implementation. Due to heterogeneity of intervention pathways, meta-analysis was not possible; analysis was undertaken using an iterative narrative approach.
RESULTS
A total of 16 studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in analysis. Pathways were identified covering analgesic management, respiratory care, surgical decision making and reducing risk of complications. Studies evaluating pathways are generally limited by their observational and retrospective design, but results highlight the potential benefits of pathway driven care provision in blunt thoracic injury.
CONCLUSIONS
The results demonstrate the complexity of evaluating patient pathway-based interventions in blunt thoracic injury management. It is important that pathways undergo rigorous evaluation, refinement and validation to ensure quality and patient safety. Strong recommendations are precluded as the quality of the pathway evaluation studies are low.
Topics: Critical Care; Delivery of Health Care; Humans; Retrospective Studies; Thoracic Injuries; Wounds, Nonpenetrating
PubMed: 32576379
DOI: 10.1016/j.injury.2020.06.002 -
The Veterinary Clinics of North... Aug 1980The physiologic equilibrium of chest injury patients is frequently precarious, and mild stress during examination and treatment may precipitate acute decompensation and...
The physiologic equilibrium of chest injury patients is frequently precarious, and mild stress during examination and treatment may precipitate acute decompensation and death. This is particularly true with the respiratory system, where the normally large respiratory reserve capacity may be rapidly lost. Accurate assessment of the nature of the thoracic injury and the severity of that injury must be determined in order to formulate a therapeutic plan. Many thoracic injuries, such as pneumothorax, pulmonary contusions, or rib fractures, will be self-limiting. Other conditions must be recognized for their potentially lethal nature and dealt with aggressively, and these include cardiac tamponade, tension pneumothorax, and esophageal perforation. By performing a systematic evaluation of the patient and confirming or denying the presence of all possible types of thoracic injury, the veterinarian may avoid overtreatment of self-limiting lesions and recognize and aggressively treat those with potentially fatal outcomes.
Topics: Animals; Cat Diseases; Cats; Chylothorax; Dog Diseases; Dogs; Esophagus; Heart Injuries; Hemothorax; Hernia, Diaphragmatic, Traumatic; Lung Injury; Pericardial Effusion; Pericardium; Pneumothorax; Respiratory Distress Syndrome; Rib Fractures; Thoracic Injuries
PubMed: 6970443
DOI: 10.1016/s0195-5616(80)50059-8 -
Pediatric Emergency Care May 2019Previous pediatric trauma studies focused on predictors of abnormal chest radiographs or included patients with low injury severity. This study identified predictors of...
OBJECTIVES
Previous pediatric trauma studies focused on predictors of abnormal chest radiographs or included patients with low injury severity. This study identified predictors of thoracic injury (TI) diagnoses in a high-risk population and determined TI rate without predictors.
METHODS
This study was a retrospective trauma registry analysis of previously healthy children aged 0 to 17 years with multisystem blunt trauma requiring trauma team activation and chest radiography who were divided into those with and without TI. Plausible TI predictors included Glasgow Coma Scale score of 13 or less, abnormal thoracic symptoms/signs, abnormal chest auscultation, respiratory distress/ rate higher than the 95th percentile, oxygen saturation less than 95%, abnormal abdominal signs/symptoms, tachycardia higher than the 95th percentile, blood pressure lower than the 5th percentile, and femur fracture.
RESULTS
One hundred forty-one (29%) of 493 eligible patients had TI. Independent TI predictors include thoracic symptoms/signs (odds ratio [OR], 6.0; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.6-10.1), abnormal chest auscultation (OR, 3.5; 95% CI, 2.0-6.2), saturation less than 95% (OR, 3.1; 95% CI, 1.8-5.5), blood pressure lower than the 5th percentile (OR, 3.7; 95% CI, 1.1-12.2), and femur fracture (OR, 2.5; 95% CI, 1.2-5.4). Six (5%) of 119 children (95% CI, 0.01-0.09) without predictors had TI.
CONCLUSIONS
Predictors of TI include thoracic symptoms/signs, abnormal chest auscultation, saturation less than 95%, blood pressure lower than the 5th percentile, and femur fracture. Because an important portion of children without predictors had TI, chest radiography should remain part of pediatric trauma resuscitation.
Topics: Adolescent; Child; Child, Preschool; Diagnosis, Differential; Diagnostic Imaging; Female; Humans; Infant; Male; Multiple Trauma; Predictive Value of Tests; Registries; Retrospective Studies; Thoracic Injuries; Wounds, Nonpenetrating
PubMed: 28486263
DOI: 10.1097/PEC.0000000000001129 -
Seminars in Pediatric Surgery Feb 2017Pediatric thoracic trauma is relatively uncommon but results in disproportionately high levels of morbidity and mortality when compared with other traumatic injuries.... (Review)
Review
Pediatric thoracic trauma is relatively uncommon but results in disproportionately high levels of morbidity and mortality when compared with other traumatic injuries. These injuries are often more devastating due to differences in children׳s anatomy and physiology relative to adult patients. A high index of suspicion is of utmost importance at the time of presentation because many significant thoracic injuries will have no external signs of injury. With proper recognition and management of these injuries, there is an associated improved long-term outcome. This article reviews the current literature and discusses the initial evaluation, current management practices, and future directions in pediatric thoracic trauma.
Topics: Child; Humans; Thoracic Injuries; Thoracic Wall
PubMed: 28302283
DOI: 10.1053/j.sempedsurg.2017.01.007