[Thoracic wounds: review of 90 cases]

Our aim in reviewing all cases of chest wounds (CW) treated in our unit to analyze their causes, clinical characteristics and treatment. We performed a retrospective study of all CW patients admitted and/or treated by us between January 1986 and August 1997, studying causes, history, number and type of wounds, location, the association of chest and non-chest lesions, treatment, complications and length of hospital stay. The 90 CW patients treated in our unit accounted for 10.6% of all CW patients admitted during the study period. Eighty-five (94.4%) were men and five were women (5.6%) and mean age was 33.87 years. Physical attack was the most common cause of CW, accounting for 74 cases (82.2%) and stab wounds (77 cases, 85.6%) were more common than gunshot wounds (13 cases, 14.4%). Sixty-one (67.%) were deep and most were to the left hemithorax (46 cases, 51.1%). Besides damage to skin and soft tissues of the chest wall, lesions most often affected the pleura (59 cases, 65.5%) and parenchyma (27 cases, 30%). Local treatment of the wound was sufficient for 31 patients (34.4%) but 29 (32.3%) also required drainage and 30 (33.3%) required surgery. Complications developed in 8 cases (8.9%) and one patient died while in surgery. Mean duration of hospital stay was 8.64 days. CW in our practice is seen most commonly in young men and is caused by physical aggression, usually involving knives. Most wounds are stabs, usually to the left hemithorax. The prognosis for firearm wounds is poorer. One third of patients require thoracic drains and another third require chest surgery in addition to local treatment of CW and other wounds. The patient's hemodynamic status was the parameter that indicated need for surgical treatment.