Blunt Thoracic Trauma (blunt + thoracic_trauma)

Distribution by Scientific Domains
Medical Sciences100%

Selected Abstracts

Diagnostic accuracy of bedside ultrasonography in the ICU: feasibility of detecting pulmonary effusion and lung contusion in patients on respiratory support after severe blunt thoracic trauma

ACTA ANAESTHESIOLOGICA SCANDINAVICA, Issue 6 2008
M. ROCCO
Background: Blunt thoracic trauma is a major concern in critically ill patients. Repeated lung diagnostic evaluations are needed in order to follow up the clinical situation and the results of the therapeutic strategies. The aim of this prospective clinical study was to evaluate the possible role of lung ultrasound (LU) compared with bedside radiography (CXR) and computed tomography (CT) used as the gold standard in the evaluation of trauma patients admitted to the intensive care unit with acute respiratory failure. Method: A total of 15 thoracic trauma patients were studied at intensive care unit (ICU) arrival (T1) and 48 h later (T2) with CT, CXR and LU. We evaluated the presence of pleural effusion (PE) and lung contusion (LC). For this purpose the lung parenchyma was divided into 12 regions so that we could compare 180 lung regions at T1 and T2, respectively. Results: Sensitivity of ultrasound was 0.94 for PE and 0.86 for LC while specificity 0.99 and 0.97, respectively. The likelihood ratio was 94 (,+) and 0.06 (,,) for PE and 28.6 (,+) and 0.14 (,,) for LC. Conclusions: Ultrasound provides a reliable noninvasive, bedside method for the assessment of chest trauma patients with acute respiratory failure in the ICU. [source]

Application of ECMO in Multitrauma Patients With ARDS as Rescue Therapy

JOURNAL OF CARDIAC SURGERY, Issue 3 2007
Navid Madershahian M.D.
The final rescue therapy for patients with severe hypoxia refractory to conventional therapy modalities is the extracorporeal gas exchange. Methods: We report the management of three polytraumatized patients with life-threatening injuries, severe blunt thoracic trauma, and consecutive ARDS treating by extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). Two patients suffered a car accident with severe lung contusion and parenychmal bleeding. Bronchial rupture and mediastinal emphysema was found in one of them. Another patient developed ARDS after attempted suicide with multiple fractures together with blunt abdominal and thoracic trauma. Results: All patients were placed on ECMO and could be rapidly stabilized. They were weaned from ECMO after a mean of 114 ± 27 hours of support without complications, respectively. Mean duration of ICU stay was 37 ± 23 days. Conclusions: Quick encouragement of ECMO for the temporary management of gas exchange may increase survival rates in trauma patients with ARDS. [source]

Diagnostic accuracy of bedside ultrasonography in the ICU: feasibility of detecting pulmonary effusion and lung contusion in patients on respiratory support after severe blunt thoracic trauma

ACTA ANAESTHESIOLOGICA SCANDINAVICA, Issue 6 2008
M. ROCCO
Background: Blunt thoracic trauma is a major concern in critically ill patients. Repeated lung diagnostic evaluations are needed in order to follow up the clinical situation and the results of the therapeutic strategies. The aim of this prospective clinical study was to evaluate the possible role of lung ultrasound (LU) compared with bedside radiography (CXR) and computed tomography (CT) used as the gold standard in the evaluation of trauma patients admitted to the intensive care unit with acute respiratory failure. Method: A total of 15 thoracic trauma patients were studied at intensive care unit (ICU) arrival (T1) and 48 h later (T2) with CT, CXR and LU. We evaluated the presence of pleural effusion (PE) and lung contusion (LC). For this purpose the lung parenchyma was divided into 12 regions so that we could compare 180 lung regions at T1 and T2, respectively. Results: Sensitivity of ultrasound was 0.94 for PE and 0.86 for LC while specificity 0.99 and 0.97, respectively. The likelihood ratio was 94 (,+) and 0.06 (,,) for PE and 28.6 (,+) and 0.14 (,,) for LC. Conclusions: Ultrasound provides a reliable noninvasive, bedside method for the assessment of chest trauma patients with acute respiratory failure in the ICU. [source]

An unusual case of traumatic pneumatocele in a nine-year-old girl: A bronchial tear with clear bronchial laceration

PEDIATRIC PULMONOLOGY, Issue 8 2009
Evelyn Van Hoorebeke MD
Abstract Post-traumatic pneumatoceles (traumatic pulmonary pseudocysts) after blunt thoracic trauma are not frequently observed. It is widely accepted that pneumatoceles are caused by compression of the lung resulting in bursting parenchyma, followed by decompression of the chest with negative intrathoracic pressure. We present a case of post-traumatic pneumatocele in a nine-year-old girl who was crushed under the tailboard of a horse hamper. A multislice CT of the thorax clearly demonstrated a bronchial laceration pointing to bronchial disruption as an additional causative mechanism. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2009; 44:826,828. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]

BLUNT CHEST TRAUMA IN CHILDHOOD

ANZ JOURNAL OF SURGERY, Issue 8 2007
Mustafa Inan
Background: Although thoracic injuries are uncommon in children, their rate of morbidity and mortality is high. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical features of children with blunt chest injury and to investigate the predictive accuracy of their paediatric trauma scores (PTS). Methods: Between September 1996 and September 2006, children with blunt thoracic trauma were evaluated retrospectively. Clinical features and PTS of the patients were recorded. Results: There were 27 male and 17 female patients. The mean age was 7.1 ± 3.4 years, and the mean PTS was 7.6 ± 2.4. Nineteen cases were injuries caused by motor vehicle/pedestrian accidents, 11 motor vehicle accidents, 8 falls and 6 motor vehicle/bicycle or motorbike accidents. The following were noted: 28 pulmonary contusions, 12 pneumothoraxes, 10 haemothoraxes, 9 rib fractures, 7 haemopneumothoraxes, 5 clavicle fractures and 2 flail chests, 1 diaphragmatic rupture and 1 pneumatocele case. The cut-off value of PTS to discriminate mortality was found to be ,4, at which point sensitivity was 75.0% and specificity was 92.5%. Twenty-seven patients were treated non-operatively, 17 were treated with a tube thoracostomy and two were treated with a thoracotomy. Four patients who suffered head and abdominal injuries died (9.09%). Conclusion: Thoracic injuries in children expose a high mortality rate as a consequence of head or abdominal injuries. PTS may be helpful to identify mortality in children with blunt chest trauma. Blunt thoracic injuries in children can be treated with a non-operative approach and a tube thoracostomy. [source]