Thoracic trauma as cause of the death in blunt injuries

Overview

AIM:
Aim of study was on the basis of the analysis dead victims with blunt trauma evaluated the role of thorax trauma as cause of mortality.

METHODOLOGY:
In this study were analysed dead polytrauma patients with blunt trauma in period 2010–2012. Were chosen group of 210 patients. Thorax trauma were found in 178 (85 %) of victims.We analysed cause of death, mechanism of injury and number of intrathoracic injuried complications of dead victims.

RESULTS:
From all victims were 139 (66 %) after road traffic accidents, 65 (31 %) falls accounted 65 (31 %) and 6 (3 %) with working trauma. Thoracic trauma directly accouts 101 (48 %) of the deaths due to trauma. Thoracic trauma is a contributing factor to others 78 (37 %) of death in patients with blunt trauma (mostly with serious craniocerebral injuries). As primary cause of mortality was bleeding from injuries of lung (laceration and contusion) in 93 patients, heart (rupture and contusion) in 72, thoracic aorta (rupture) in 47 victims and injuries of others large intrathoracic vessels were in 17 dead. In victims with thoracic trauma as contributing factor of death were laceration or contusion of lung in 63 cases, contusion of heart in 14 patients with serious injuries of chest wall (flail chest, sternal fracture).

DISCUSSION:
Immediate mortality in polytrauma patients was significantly increasing with serious thoracic injuries. Same one in the place of accident and in early postinjuried period after admission in the hospital. Serious thoracic trauma was presented as second most frequent cause of mortality (35 %). Futher as one from others causes of the injuried death (35 %). It corresponded with our result of study, where serious thoracic trauma is besides craniocerebral injuries most frequent cause of mortality.

CONCLUSIONS:
Serious blunt thorax trauma is frequent cause of immediate and early death.

Keywords:
blunt thoracic trauma, cause of the death.