Mwakio Patterson-Mwakio's Series General Surgery Article-Chest Trauma

Chest trauma is an important cause or morbidity and mortality, accounting about 10% of trauma hospital admissions and 25-50% of mortality associated with trauma globally. Road traffic accidents {RTA}, Fall, physical assault and burn are the leading causes of chest trauma in Kenya. Chest injury is more common among males in Kenya with RTA being the leading cause in about 52%, fall 22%, assault 13% and burn 6% and overall mortality rate of 3.5% { Tobias otieno et al, 2004}. Chest trauma is broadly classified into mechanical, chemical and thermal. Blunt chest trauma following RTA is associated with High Thoracic Abbreviated Injury Scale {AIS thoracic} Score and Injury Severity score {ISS} and therefore, victims are more susceptable to a higher risk of morbidity and mortality following chest trauma.