Thoracic Trauma: Injuries, Evaluation, and Treatment.

Thoracic injury is common in high-energy and low-energy trauma, and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Evaluation requires a systematic approach prioritizing airway, respiration, and circulation. Chest injuries have the potential to progress rapidly and require prompt procedural intervention. For the diagnosis of nonemergent injuries, a careful secondary survey is essential. Although medicine and trauma management have evolved throughout the decades, the basics of thoracic trauma care have remained the same.