[Evaluation of 572 cases of blunt and penetrating thoracic trauma]

We retrospectively evaluated 572 patients with thoracic trauma from total of 2163 trauma patients who admitted to 2nd General Surgery Emergency Service of Kartal Education and Research Hospital from January 1997 to February 2000. 501 of the patients (87.5%) were male and 71 (12.5%) were female. The range of ages 2-84 and mean age was 32.2. 337 (59%) patients had blunt and 235 (41%) had penetrating thoracic trauma. While traffic accidents (72%) were determined as the most common ethiological factor for blunt thoracic trauma, penetrating and cutting instruments injuries (82%) were the most common factor for penetrating thoracic trauma. Accompanying trauma were observed in 37.5% of cases. 332 (58%) tube thoracostomy, 185 (32.5%) conservative treatment, 41 (7.1%) thoracotomy 14 (2.4%) mechanical ventilation were carried out. The rates of mortality were 6.8% and of morbidity 3.3%. Early diagnosis and immediate appropriate treatment in thoracic trauma increases the survival.