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[Severe thoracic trauma: review of 39 cases]

E Carreras González1, G Carreras González, R Alvarez Pérez

  • 1Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos Pediátricos, Hospital de Sant Pau, Universidad Autónoma, Barcelona, Spain. ecarrerasg@santpau.es

Anales De Pediatria (Barcelona, Spain : 2003)
|December 7, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Pulmonary contusion is the most common thoracic trauma in pediatric polytrauma patients. Thoracic computed tomography (CT) scans are highly effective for diagnosing suspected thoracic injuries.

Area of Science:

  • Trauma surgery
  • Pediatric critical care
  • Diagnostic imaging

Context:

  • Severe thoracic trauma is a significant concern in pediatric polytrauma patients.
  • Early and accurate diagnosis is crucial for effective management.
  • Evaluating cardiac function and identifying thoracic injuries requires a multi-modal approach.

Purpose:

  • To determine the incidence and types of severe thoracic trauma in pediatric polytrauma.
  • To compare cardiac contractility in patients with elevated troponin T versus abnormal electrocardiogram (EKG) findings.
  • To assess the diagnostic value of thoracic computed tomography (CT) as an initial investigation for suspected thoracic trauma.

Summary:

  • A retrospective study of 209 pediatric polytrauma patients revealed thoracic injuries in 39, with pulmonary contusion being most frequent.
  • Echocardiograms showed abnormalities in 80% of patients with elevated troponin T and abnormal EKGs.
  • Thoracic CT scans proved highly useful in diagnosing suspected thoracic trauma, identifying lesions missed by standard X-rays.

Impact:

  • Highlights the high incidence of pulmonary contusion in pediatric thoracic trauma.
  • Demonstrates the correlation between elevated troponin T, abnormal EKGs, and echocardiographic findings in cardiac assessment.
  • Emphasizes the diagnostic superiority of thoracic CT scans in evaluating pediatric thoracic trauma.
Abstract

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