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It is any blow, cut or burn that injures any of the structures of the thorax.
There are numerous causes of thoracic trauma: traffic accidents, accidental falls, work accidents, stab wounds and firearms, sports accidents, etc. Depending on the mechanism of injury, they can be classified as open chest trauma (incision, puncture, etc.) or closed (contusion).
The most significant symptoms are chest pain and difficulty breathing, coughing, or taking a deep breath due to pain.
Diagnosis is made by evaluating medical history, a physical examination, and imaging tests such as chest X-rays and computed tomography.
Treatment will depend on the injury, requiring analgesia, rest, and may even require placement of a chest drain or surgical suture.
- Eric Legome, MD, Jean M Hammel, MD. Initial evaluation and management of chest wall trauma in adults. UpToDate. Sep 20, 2016.
- Odell DD, Peleg K, Givon A, et al. Sternal fracture: isolated lesion versus polytrauma from associated extrasternal injuries--analysis of 1,867 cases. J Trauma Acute Care Surg 2013; 75:448.
- Oyetunji TA, Jackson HT, Obirieze AC, et al. Associated injuries in traumatic sternal fractures: a review of the National Trauma Data Bank. Am Surg 2013; 79:702.
- Baldwin KD, Ohman-Strickland P, Mehta S, Hume E. Scapula fractures: a marker for concomitant injury? A retrospective review of data in the National Trauma Database. J Trauma 2008; 65:430.
- Weening B, Walton C, Cole PA, et al. Lower mortality in patients with scapular fractures. J Trauma 2005; 59:1477.
- Kea B, Gamarallage R, Vairamuthu H, et al. What is the clinical significance of chest CT when the chest x-ray result is normal in patients with blunt trauma? Am J Emerg Med 2013; 31:1268.
Dr. Elvira Moreno
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