A clinical evaluation was performed on 305 cases of chest trauma experienced at the department of the Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Dae Jeon Eul Ji Hospital, during the period from March 1991 to November 1994.
Age distribution was from 4 to 85 years, the most common age groups were 4-th, sth and 6th decades. The ratio of male to female was 229:76(3:1), the ratio showed male predominance, the most common cause of trauma was traffic accidents in
nonpenetrating
trauma and stab wounds in penetrating trauma.
Hemothorax, pneumothorax, and hemopneumothorax were observed in 159 cases(52.1%) of total cases, Rib fracture was observed in 236 cases(77.4%) of total cases, location distribution was right: left: Both(102:142:45), with left predominant, rib
fracture
commonly involved from the 3th to 8th rib. Lag period from accident to admission was 155 cases(50.8%) under 6hr.
The principles of therapy for early complications of chest trauma were rapid reexpansion of the lungs by thoracentesis 5 cases(1.6%) and closed thoracostomy 1-42 cases(46.6%), but open thoracotomy had to be done on 17 cases(5.6%) because of
massive
bleeding 13 cases or ruptured diaphragm, foreign body.
Conservative nonoperative treatment was 140 cases(45.9%). Overall mortality rate was 8cases(2.6%) and common causes of the death were respiratory insufficiency and shock
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