Study of Management and Complications of Thoracic Injuries

Background The purpose of study is to know incidence of thoracic injuries and pathophysiological changes in relation to trauma and their clinical manifestations. Thoracic injuries result in dramatic physiological abnormalities such as tension pneumothorax, cardiac tamponade and hypovolaemic shock. Methods The study was carried out in patients of Krishna hospital and Medical research centre, Karad in period of January 1991 to December 1993. We evaluated 250 patients. These cases were studied from time of admission to death or discharge and follow up study was also done. Results The incidence of thoracic injuries in Krishna hospital is 13.23 % In our series 86.0 % of cases presented with blunt trauma, while 14 % cases presented with penetrating injury. Conclusion Chest trauma forms major bulk of trauma cases. Blunt thoracic injuries are more common than penetrating injuries. Road traffic accidents cause major bulk of thoracic trauma (60 %). Main object of management of thoracic injury is to restore deranged respiratory physiology to normalcy.