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Pulmonary contusions in the elderly after blunt trauma: incidence and outcomes

Amanda Bader1, Uzma Rahman1, Matthew Morris1

  • 1Division of Trauma, Department of Surgery, Stony Brook University School of Medicine, Stony Brook, New York.

The Journal of Surgical Research
|August 14, 2018
PubMed

Insights

Pulmonary contusions (PCs) affect over 18.6% of elderly blunt chest trauma patients, often from low-energy incidents. These injuries are linked to increased complications and mortality, necessitating thorough investigation for associated trauma.

Area of Science:

  • Trauma Surgery
  • Geriatric Medicine
  • Pulmonary Medicine

Background:

  • Pulmonary contusions (PCs) are common in general blunt chest trauma but understudied in the elderly.
  • Limited research exists on the incidence and outcomes of PCs specifically in older adults.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the incidence and outcomes of pulmonary contusions (PCs) in elderly patients admitted with blunt thoracic trauma.
  • To identify associations between PCs and other injuries, complications, and mortality in this demographic.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective review of a level I trauma center registry from 2007-2015.
  • Inclusion criteria: blunt thoracic trauma patients aged ≥65 years.
  • Analysis of medical records for patients with and without pulmonary contusions.

Main Results:

  • 18.6% of 956 elderly blunt thoracic trauma admissions had PCs (178/956).
  • PC patients had higher rates of serious head/neck, abdomen, and extremity injuries.
  • Complication (46.1% vs. 26.6%) and mortality (14.0% vs. 6.2%) rates were significantly higher in PC patients.

Conclusions:

  • Pulmonary contusions occur in a significant proportion of elderly blunt trauma patients, even with low-energy mechanisms.
  • The presence of a PC warrants investigation for other severe injuries.
  • PCs are associated with increased morbidity and mortality in elderly trauma patients.
Abstract

Keywords:
ElderlyOutcomesPulmonary contusionThoracic

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