[The treatment of thoracic injuries from the anesthesiologic viewpoint]

Three quarters of thoracic injuries are combined with other traumas, firstly head injuries, secondly injuries of the extremities and thirdly injuries of the abdomen. Seventy-one such patients who were treated in the interdisciplinary intensive care department over 6 years were analysed. In 13 patients laparotomies because of ruptures or perforations of various organs became necessary. These combined injuries had a particularly bad prognosis. Forty-six patients (64.7%) had to be ventilated for more than 24 hours. The average ventilation period was 10 days. The indication for respiratory treatment is stressed. The lethality of the 71 patients amounted to 32.4% (23 patients). During the first treatment even today simple methods of investigation and therapy are of great importance. A comprehensive rescue chain and good interdisciplinary cooperation are the basis of every therapy.