RECENT UPDATES IN MANAGEMENT OF CHEST TRAUMA

Trauma is the third leading cause of death in the world, exceeded only by cardiovascular diseases and cancer. With the growth of traffics and industrialization in our society, there has been a proportional increase in the incidence of trauma to the chest.Thoracic trauma is common and causes a variety of injuries, ranging from simple abrasions and contusions to life-threatening insults to the thoracic viscera like penetrating, blunt, explosive, inhalation, barotraumas and foreign body injuries. Thoracic trauma also is associated with a high morbidity. 20% of all trauma deaths involve chest injury, making it second to head and spinal cord injuries.Approximately 70% of thoracic trauma cases are blunt in nature. Blunt trauma to the thorax may result in injury to any one or frequently more of the thoracic structures: heart, great vessels, lungs, major airways, esophagus, diaphragm and chest wall. Although injuries of the intrathoracic structures usually are accompanied by chest wall injuries, trauma of the intrathoracic organs may occur without a noticeable chest wall injury. Penetrating chest trauma is about 30% but more dangerous.