Abstract

A clinical evaluation was performed on 811 cases of chest trauma who were admitted and treated at the department of thoracic & cardiovascular surgery, Catholic Medical College, during the past 19 years from Jan. 1966 to Dec. 1984. 1. The overall incidence rate of male to female was 3:1. 2. The common age groups were 4th, 5th, and 3rd decades. 3. The most common cause of chest trauma was stab in penetrating wound and traffic accidents in non penetrating wound. 4. The most common injury from non penetrating chest trauma was rib fracture [81.3%], and the incidence rate of flail chest was 14.5% of all cases of rib fractures. 5. The incidence rate of hemo-pneumothorax was 50.4% in non penetrating wounds, and 55.2% in penetrating wounds. 6. The most common method of surgical treatment was CTD [33.5%], and open thoracotomy was performed in 67 cases [8.3%]. 7, The overall mortality was 3.3% [27 cases], and common causes of the death were shock and respiratory insufficiency.

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