Updates in surgery
-
The role of emergency thoracotomy (ET) in blunt trauma is still a matter of debate and in Europe only a small number of studies have been published. We report our experience about ET both in penetrating and blunt trauma, discussing indications, outcomes and proposing an algorithm for patient selection. We retrospectively analysed patients who underwent ET at Maggiore Hospital Trauma Center over two periods: from January 1st, 2010 to December 31st, 2012, and from January 1st, 2013 to May 31st, 2017. ⋯ The outcomes of ET in trauma patient, either after penetrating or blunt trauma, are poor but not negligible. To date, only small series of ET from European trauma centres have been published, although larger series are available from USA and South Africa. However, in selected patients, all efforts must be made for the patient's survival; the possibility of organ donation should be taken into consideration as well.