Trauma to the aorta and major vessels.

Techniques for the diagnosis of blunt thoracic vascular injuries continue to evolve, and both helical CT scanning and transesophageal echocardiography are being compared with thoracic aortography. Repair of a tear in the descending thoracic aorta often is performed with the antriofemoral centrifugal pump. Patients with penetrating thoracic vascular injuries have a variety of presentations, with aortography restricted to those with proximity of wound to the superior mediastinum or the presence of a hematoma on admission chest radiograph.