3 Cases of blunt chest trauma
Shirakata, S.; Kohnosu, H.; Sawabe, Y.; Yoshii, K.; Iwasaki, Y.; Natsuyama, S.
Kyobu Geka. Japanese Journal of Thoracic Surgery 50(7): 549-553
1997
ISSN/ISBN: 0021-5252 PMID: 9223859 Document Number: 472772
3 Cases of blunt chest trauma were reported, including aortic isthmus rupture, diaphragmatic injury and right main bronchial rupture. All cases were injured by traffic accidents. The first case was a 21-year-old man complicated with aortic injury and femoral bone fracture and died of intrapleural rupture before thoracotomy. The second case was a 49-year-old man who had right 11th rib fracture and he received emergent thoracotomy due to hemorrhagic shock. We found accidentally arterial massive bleeding by the diaphragmatic injury at thoracotomy and ligated directly. The third case was a 19-year-old man and he was unconscious on admission and rupture of the right main bronchus was found by bronchofiberscope and performed pneumectomy. One patient died and other two patients have survived. Blunt chest trauma sometimes lead to fatal damage of vital organs. So it is necessary to make early diagnosis and perform the emergent operations for life salvage.