[Chest trauma: analysis of 126 cases].

To evaluate our experience in chest trauma we review the records of the patients admitted for chest trauma to our service between December 1994 and April 2000. There were 126 patients (113 males, 89.7%), with an age range of 7 to 96 years (mean 35.3). The most frequent cause of chest injury were traffic accidents 48 cases (38%) and 73 cases (57.9%) were victims of blunt trauma. In 36 cases there was a politrauma. Hemo and/or pneumothorax represented the most common thoracic injury (85.7%). Rib fractures were present in 47 cases (36.2% with more than 3 rib fractures). Four patients sustained flail chest and 5 defect of thoracic wall. Six patients were pulmonary contusion and 8 intraparenchymal hematoma. Pleural drainage was performed in 106 cases (8 cases bilateral) and thoracotomy was indicated in 11 (6 cases emergency). Mortality was 6.9% (n:8), of which 4 belonged to politrauma group. Mortality is directly related with politrauma. In the patients of the chest trauma, aggressive diagnostic and therapeutic approaches in association with intensive care follow-up remains one of the most important points to decrease mortality and morbidity rate.