Emergent tube Thoracostomy for Penetrating Thoracic Trauma

Abstract

Trauma remains the commonest cause of death in individuals under 35 years of age. Trauma deaths result from chest injuries in 25% of cases[1]; various modalities of treatment are in vogue for management of what at times may be a life threating condition. These modalities range from observation to field thoracotomy and include emergent closed tube thoracostomy and video assisted thoracoscopic surgery[2]. The role of emergent closed tube thoracostomy alone was assessed in a prospective study carried out at cardiothoracic department Lady Reading Hospital Peshawar. Over a period of one year one hundred and twenty patients were recieved with penetrating chest trauma. Majoriety of the patients had high velocity missile injuries. Of these one hundred and ten patients were treated with tube thoracostomy while ten patients were treateed conservatively. Thoracostomy rate was 3/110 i.e. 2.7%. mean hospital stay was 4.5 days. there were no deaths in our series. Thus it is concluded that in majority of penetrating chest trauma; emgent tube thoracostomy alone would suffice. it is least traumatic to the patient, safest and is associated with least morbidity.