Chirurgia Bucharest
-
Chirurgia Bucharest · Jul 1997
[The incidence of emergency thoracotomy in thoracic trauma. 7000 cases of thoracic trauma (T.T.) treated in the period of 1978-1995].
With intensive care, pleural drainage and judicious physiotherapy most thoracic injuries can be treated adequately. We reviewed the experience with urgent thoracotomy, to compare the relative indications and injury pattern after blunt versus penetrating trauma. Among 7000 patients with thoracic trauma (T. ⋯ Seventy-five percent of penetrating trauma were operated in the first hour after admission against 29% of blunt trauma. Postoperative mortality for penetrating trauma was three times lower than for blunt trauma (18% versus 56%). Surgical procedure depends on the type and extend of the thoracic and general injuries and on the patients general condition.