Pulmonary and Chest Wall Emergencies

In brief Sports-related chest trauma can Produce a number of injuries that may be medical emergencies: pneumothorax, diaphragmatic paralysis, chest wall trauma, and sternoclavicular dislocation. Severe acute bron- chospasm is another pulmonary condition common in active people. Team physicians must therefore work through the differential diagnosis quickly and initiate on-site treatment as soon as possible. Many of these conditions require definitive treatment at an emergency facility, but on-field clinicians can stabilize the patient and ensure a successful outcome by taking measures such as providing an open airway, resolving a pneumothorax, or reducing a dislocation.