MANAGEMENT OF CHEST TRAUMA IN GENERAL SURGICAL DEPARTMENT OF SERVICES HOSPITAL LAHORE AND ITS OUTCOME

Objective: To determine the dominant pattern of lesions after thoracic trauma and evaluate the appropriateness of treatment strategies used in the general surgery unit of a trauma care hospital. Study Design: In the Surgery Department of Services Hospital, Lahore for one year duration from March 2016 to March 2017. Place and Duration: A Case Series with prospective data collection study. Methodology: A total of 100 consecutive patients with thoracic trauma who were referred to emergency services were evaluated. Patients older than 12 years were included, either alone or with multiple traumas with chest trauma. Findings: 103 total patients were studied over a period of 18 months in different chest injuries. In general, blunt thoracic lesions occur in 58% of patients with penetrating injuries comparison occurs in 42%. 30 patients (29%) were treated conservatively for lesions on the chest wall (mild pulmonary contusion, rib fracture) without pneumothorax or hemothorax. In 64 patients (62%) Thorax intubation was necessary with pneumothorax/ hemothorax. 9 patients (8.8%) required thoracotomy and emergency thoracotomy was done in 2 patients and seven were elective. 8% was the total mortality rate. Conclusion: Penetrating chest injury increases because of gunshot wounds with the passage of time, but most common is blunt trauma. Most patients with chest injury can be treated satisfactorily in the general surgery unit and fewer patients require vast surgical treatment. Key words: Penetrating trauma, thoracic trauma, pneumothorax, tube thoracostomy, closed traumatism, hemothorax