We observed 65 cases of chest injury who were treated at the 102nd Evacuation Hospital, Nha-Trang, Viet-Nam, from December 1966 to January 1968.
28 cases were gun shot wound (43%). 37 shrapnel wound cases(57%). Penetrating injury were 19 and perforating were 46. Open thoracotomy was carried out for 9 cases(13.8%) to control hemorrhage. 53 cases were done closed thoracotomy and 3 cases thoracentesis. Post operative complication were persist hemothorax(11), dead space(2), empyema(1), subcutaneuous pleural fistula(1), effusion(1). The mortality rate was 4.6%. Cause of death were hemorrhagic shock(2 cases) and cardiac arrest (1 case). This complication and death rate are closly correlated with "LAG PERIOD". The average time from injury to arrival at 102nd Evacuation Hospital was 7.5 hours with variation form 3 hours to 12 hours.
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