[Lung function after thoracic trauma. A contribution to the assessment of late functional lesions (author's transl)]

Respiratory function was investigated in 32 patients not later then 5 years after thoracic trauma. Forced expiration curves (volume/time and flow/volume mode) and nitrogen washout methods (single breath, multiple breath) were used including blood gas analyzes and thorax-X-rays. The typical effect of chest injury is mild to moderate restriction, which was found in 72% of the patients. Usually all volumes (FVC, FRC, TC) are reduced. 5 patients had slight to moderate obstruction, which we do not consider to be immediate consequence of trauma. 12 patients had signs of ventilatory maldistribution, which can be explained by reduced FRC in more or less all cases and obstruction in the above mentioned 5 patients. Observation of two cases leads us to conclude that chest injury may initiate development of chronic respiratory disease and that such a disease may be aggravated by thoracic injury. Motivation, young age, quality of rehabilitation, dorsal location of fractured ribs may help to improve the pulmonary status of the patient, existing or developing chronic lung disease, smoking, old age, lateral localisation of fractured ribs with dislocation will hinder improvement.