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Sample records for chest trauma diagnosis

  1. Blunt chest trauma.

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    Stewart, Daphne J

    2014-01-01

    Blunt chest trauma is associated with a wide range of injuries, many of which are life threatening. This article is a case study demonstrating a variety of traumatic chest injuries, including pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment. Literature on the diagnosis and treatment was reviewed, including both theoretical and research literature, from a variety of disciplines. The role of the advance practice nurse in trauma is also discussed as it relates to assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of patients with traumatic chest injuries.

  2. [Chest trauma].

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    Freixinet Gilart, Jorge; Ramírez Gil, María Elena; Gallardo Valera, Gregorio; Moreno Casado, Paula

    2011-01-01

    Chest trauma is a frequent problem arising from lesions caused by domestic and occupational activities and especially road traffic accidents. These injuries can be analyzed from distinct points of view, ranging from consideration of the most severe injuries, especially in the context of multiple trauma, to the specific characteristics of blunt and open trauma. In the present article, these injuries are discussed according to the involvement of the various thoracic structures. Rib fractures are the most frequent chest injuries and their diagnosis and treatment is straightforward, although these injuries can be severe if more than three ribs are affected and when there is major associated morbidity. Lung contusion is the most common visceral lesion. These injuries are usually found in severe chest trauma and are often associated with other thoracic and intrathoracic lesions. Treatment is based on general support measures. Pleural complications, such as hemothorax and pneumothorax, are also frequent. Their diagnosis is also straightforward and treatment is based on pleural drainage. This article also analyzes other complex situations, notably airway trauma, which is usually very severe in blunt chest trauma and less severe and even suitable for conservative treatment in iatrogenic injury due to tracheal intubation. Rupture of the diaphragm usually causes a diaphragmatic hernia. Treatment is always surgical. Myocardial contusions should be suspected in anterior chest trauma and in sternal fractures. Treatment is conservative. Other chest injuries, such as those of the great thoracic and esophageal vessels, are less frequent but are especially severe. Copyright © 2011 Sociedad Española de Neumología y Cirugía Torácica. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

  3. The application of MDCT in the diagnosis of chest trauma.

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    Błasińska-Przerwa, Katarzyna; Pacho, Ryszard; Bestry, Iwona

    2013-01-01

    Traumas are the third most common cause of death worldwide, after cardiovascular diseases and neoplasms, and the main cause of death of patients under 40 years of age. Contemporary image diagnosis of chest trauma uses chest X-ray (CXR), multidetector computed tomography (MDCT), transthoracic and transoesophageal ultrasound (USG), X-ray angiography and magnetic resonance. The aim of the present study was to evaluate MDCT results in the examination of posttraumatic chest injuries and to compare the results of CXR and MDCT in chosen chest traumatic injuries. The sixty patients with chest trauma included in the study were diagnosed at the Department of Radiology of the Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases between May 2004 and October 2007. MDCT was performed in all patients. Two groups with different types of injury (blunt or penetrating chest trauma) were distinguished. The analysis of injuries in both groups was conducted depending on the mechanism of trauma. The detection of 20 selected injuries at CXR and MDCT was compared. Moreover, the compatibility of MDCT with the results of intraoperative assessment and bronchoscopy was analysed. The influence of MDCT on the treatment modality was also assessed. History of blunt chest trauma was found in 51 patients (group 1) and of penetrating trauma in 9 patients (group 2). The most frequent injuries among group 1 were lung contusion and rib fractures, and among group 2 it was pericardial hematoma. Compared to MDCT, the sensitivity and specificity of CXR were 66.7 and 58%, respectively. Change of treatment modality was observed after MDCT in 83% of patients. The sensitivity and specificity of MDCT in diagnosing tracheobronchial injury, compared to bronchoscopy, were 72.7% and 100%, respectively. Compatibility of MDCT results and intraoperative assessment was observed in 43% of patients, and the main reason for discrepancy was underdiagnosis of diaphragm injury in MDCT. MDCT was a valuable diagnostic method in

  4. Radiology in chest trauma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wenz, W.; Kloehn, I.; Wolfart, W.; Freiburg Univ.

    1979-01-01

    In chest trauma, a routine chest film, preferably in the lateral as well as the frontal projection, is the basic part of the work-up. Occasionally valuable additional methods are fluoroscopy, tomography, bronchography, contrast studies of the GI Tract and angiography and angiocardiography. In 679 chest trauma patients, traffic accidents and falls were the main reason for the trauma. There were 248 fractures; then - in order of frequency - hemopneumothorax (76), lung contusion (58), subcutaneous emphysema (33) cardiac (16) and vascular trauma (12) and damage to other organs. While 20-30% mistakes are made in diagnosing rib fractures in acute trauma, there is high accuracy in the diagnosis of the other injuries. Many cases are shown to demonstrate the value of diagnostic radiology. (orig.) [de

  5. Diagnosis and Treatment of Chest Injury and Emergency Diseases of Chest Organs

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    A. M. Khadjibaev

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Goal of research: to evaluate efficiency of videothoracoscopy in diagnosis and treatment of patients with injuries and emergency diseases ща chest organs.Material and methods: Study wasbased on treatment results analysis of 2111 patients with injuries and chest organs emergency diseases, who were treated at Republican Research Centre of Emergency Medicine in 2001-2014. Chest trauma made up 1396 (66,1% victims. There were 477 (22,6% patients with spontaneous pneumothorax. At the stages of initial diagnosis, the radiologic evaluations, CT investigations and videothoracoscopies were performed. In chest trauma patients the videothoracoscopy underwent in 844 cases, in spontaneous pneu#mothorax this method was employed in 290 patients. Complicated forms of lung echinococcosis were observed in 238 (11,3% patients and complicated forms of lung echinococcosis were evident in 72 patients.Results. Videothoracoscopy and video-assisted interventions allowed to eliminate lungs and pleura pathology in 1206 (57,1% patients, whereas the traditional methods were effective only in 905 cases (42,9%.Conclusions. Investigation methods such as multiplanar radioscopy, radiography, chest CT and videothora-coscopy must be included into algorithm of diagnosis and surgical treatment of chest injuries and emergency diseases of chest organs. At chest trauma the videothoracoscopy allows to avoid broad thoracotomy from 9,4% to 4,7% of cases, to reduce the frequency of repeated interventions from 17,4% to 0,5% and diminish a number of early postsurgery complications from 25,4% to 10,9%. Videothoracoscopy of chest traumas allows to reduce frequency of repeated interventions from 19,8 to 1,7%.

  6. Multi-detector row computed tomography and blunt chest trauma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Scaglione, Mariano; Pinto, Antonio; Pedrosa, Ivan; Sparano, Amelia; Romano, Luigia

    2008-01-01

    Blunt chest trauma is a significant source of morbidity and mortality in industrialized countries. The clinical presentation of trauma patients varies widely from one individual to another and ranges from minor reports of pain to shock. Knowledge of the mechanism of injury, the time of injury, estimates of motor vehicle accident velocity and deceleration, and evidence of associated injury to other systems are all salient features to provide for an adequate assessment of chest trauma. Multi-detector row computed tomography (MDCT) scanning and MDCT-angiography are being used more frequently in the diagnosis of patients with chest trauma. The high sensitivity of MDCT has increased the recognized spectrum of injuries. This new technology can be regarded as an extremely valuable adjunct to physical examination to recognize suspected and unsuspected blunt chest trauma

  7. Possibilities of CT examinations by chest trauma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ftacnikova, B.

    1994-01-01

    Chest trauma represents the most frequent associated injury in multiply injured patients. The success of treatment depends also on prompt and effective diagnosis and extent of the injuries, on quality interdisciplinary approach. Author presents contributions of computed tomography (CT) in the management of 77 critically injured patients. Attention is focused on the efficacy of CT examination routinely employed in the setting of thoracic trauma and its relationship to following rationalization of treatment. CT scans of thorax is modality of choice for evaluating patients with occult pneumothorax, chest wall deformity of rib fractures, early diagnosis of lung contusion and laceration. (author). 13 figs., 1 tab., 7 refs

  8. Chest radiography after minor chest trauma

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    Rossen, B.; Laursen, N.O.; Just, S.

    The results of chest radiography in 581 patients with blunt minor thoracic trauma were reviewed. Frontal and lateral views of the chest indicated pathology in 72 patients (12.4%). Pneumothorax was present in 16 patients; 4 had hemothorax. The physical examination and the results of chest radiography were not in accordance because in 6(30%) of the 20 patients with hemo/-pneumothorax the physical examination was normal. Consequently there is wide indication for chest radiography after minor blunt chest trauma.

  9. Chest radiography after minor chest trauma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rossen, B.; Laursen, N.O.; Just, S.

    1987-01-01

    The results of chest radiography in 581 patients with blunt minor thoracic trauma were reviewed. Frontal and lateral views of the chest indicated pathology in 72 patients (12.4%). Pneumothorax was present in 16 patients; 4 had hemothorax. The physical examination and the results of chest radiography were not in accordance because in 6(30%) of the 20 patients with hemo/-pneumothorax the physical examination was normal. Consequently there is wide indication for chest radiography after minor blunt chest trauma. (orig.)

  10. Simple X-ray versus ultrasonography examination in blunt chest trauma: effective tools of accurate diagnosis and considerations for rib fractures

    OpenAIRE

    Hwang, Eun Gu; Lee, Yunjung

    2016-01-01

    Simple radiography is the best diagnostic tool for rib fractures caused by chest trauma, but it has some limitations. Thus, other tools are also being used. The aims of this study were to investigate the effectiveness of ultrasonography (US) for identifying rib fractures and to identify influencing factors of its effectiveness. Between October 2003 and August 2007, 201 patients with blunt chest trauma were available to undergo chest radiographic and US examinations for diagnosis of rib fractu...

  11. Limiting chest computed tomography in the evaluation of pediatric thoracic trauma.

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    Golden, Jamie; Isani, Mubina; Bowling, Jordan; Zagory, Jessica; Goodhue, Catherine J; Burke, Rita V; Upperman, Jeffrey S; Gayer, Christopher P

    2016-08-01

    Computed tomography (CT) of the chest (chest CT) is overused in blunt pediatric thoracic trauma. Chest CT adds to the diagnosis of thoracic injury but rarely changes patient management. We sought to identify a subset of blunt pediatric trauma patients who would benefit from a screening chest CT based on their admission chest x-ray (CXR) findings. We hypothesize that limiting chest CT to patients with an abnormal mediastinal silhouette identifies intrathoracic vascular injuries not otherwise seen on CXR. All blunt trauma activations that underwent an admission CXR at our Level 1 pediatric trauma center from 2005 to 2013 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients who had a chest CT were evaluated for added diagnoses and change in management after CT. An admission CXR was performed in 1,035 patients. One hundred thirty-nine patients had a CT, and the diagnosis of intra-thoracic injury was added in 42% of patients. Chest CT significantly increased the diagnosis of contusion or atelectasis (30.3% vs 60.4%; p pneumothorax (7.2% vs 18.7%; p chest CT. Chest CT changed the management of only 4 patients (2.9%). Two patients underwent further radiologic evaluation that was negative for injury, one had a chest tube placed for an occult pneumothorax before exploratory laparotomy, and one patient had a thoracotomy for repair of aortic injury. Chest CT for select patients with an abnormal mediastinal silhouette on CXR would have decreased CT scans by 80% yet still identified patients with an intrathoracic vascular injury. The use of chest CT should be limited to the identification of intrathoracic vascular injuries in the setting of an abnormal mediastinal silhouette on CXR. Therapeutic study, level IV; diagnostic study, level III.

  12. Spiral CT for evaluation of chest trauma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Roehnert, W.; Weise, R.

    1997-01-01

    After implementation of spiral CT in our department, we carried out an analysis for determining anew the value of CT as a modality of chest trauma diagnosis in the emergency department. The retrospective study covers a period of 10 months and all emergency patients with chest trauma exmined by spiral CT. The major lesions of varying seriousness covered by this study are: pneumothorax, hematothorax, pulmonary contusion or laceration, mediastinal hematoma, rupture of a vessel, injury of the heart and pericardium. The various fractures are not included in this study. In many cases, spiral CT within relatively short time yields significant diagnostic findings, frequently saving additional angiography. A rigid diagnostic procedure cannot be formulated. Plain-film chest radiography still remains a diagnostic modality of high value. (Orig.) [de

  13. CT of chest trauma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Goodman, P.C.

    1986-01-01

    There appears to be a limited role for computed tomography in the evaluation of chest trauma. The literature contains few papers specifically addressing the use of CT in the setting of chest trauma. Another series of articles relates anecdotal experiences in this regard. This paucity of reports attests to the remarkable amount of information present on conventional chest radiographs as well as the lack of clear indications for CT in the setting of chest trauma. In this chapter traumatic lesions of various areas of the thorax are discussed. The conventional radiographic findings are briefly described and the potential or proven application of CT is addressed

  14. Chest trauma in children, single center experience.

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    Ismail, Mohamed Fouad; al-Refaie, Reda Ibrahim

    2012-10-01

    Trauma is the leading cause of mortality in children over one year of age in industrialized countries. In this retrospective study we reviewed all chest trauma in pediatric patients admitted to Mansoura University Emergency Hospital from January 1997 to January 2007. Our hospital received 472 patients under the age of 18. Male patients were 374 with a mean age of 9.2±4.9 years. Causes were penetrating trauma (2.1%) and blunt trauma (97.9%). The trauma was pedestrian injuries (38.3%), motor vehicle (28.1%), motorcycle crash (19.9%), falling from height (6.7%), animal trauma (2.9%), and sports injury (1.2%). Type of injury was pulmonary contusions (27.1%) and lacerations (6.9%), rib fractures (23.9%), flail chest (2.5%), hemothorax (18%), hemopneumothorax (11.8%), pneumothorax (23.7%), surgical emphysema (6.1%), tracheobronchial injury (5.3%), and diaphragm injury (2.1%). Associated lesions were head injuries (38.9%), bone fractures (33.5%), and abdominal injuries (16.7%). Management was conservative (29.9%), tube thoracostomy (58.1%), and thoracotomy (12.1%). Mortality rate was 7.2% and multiple trauma was the main cause of death (82.3%) (Ptrauma is the most common cause of pediatric chest trauma and often due to pedestrian injuries. Rib fractures and pulmonary contusions are the most frequent injuries. Delay in diagnosis and multiple trauma are associated with high incidence of mortality. Copyright © 2011 SEPAR. Published by Elsevier España, S.L. All rights reserved.

  15. Imaging of blunt chest trauma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Prosch, H.; Negrin, L.

    2014-01-01

    Blunt chest trauma is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Consequently, all patients should be evaluated radiologically after blunt chest trauma to allow timely and appropriate treatment. Conventional chest radiographs and computed tomography (CT) are proven modalities with which to evaluate patients after blunt chest trauma. Over the last several years extended focused assessment with sonography for trauma (eFAST) has gained increasing importance for the initial assessment of seriously injured patients. In the acute phase of severely injured patients eFAST examinations are helpful to exclude pneumothorax, hemothorax and hemopericardium. Chest radiographs may also be used to diagnose a pneumothorax or hemothorax; however, the sensitivity is limited and CT is the diagnostic modality of choice to evaluate severely injured patients. (orig.) [de

  16. Multidetector Computer Tomography: Evaluation of Blunt Chest Trauma in Adults

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Palas, J.; Matos, A.P.; Ramalho, M.; Mascarenhas, V.; Heredia, V.

    2014-01-01

    Imaging plays an essential part of chest trauma care. By definition, the employed imaging technique in the emergency setting should reach the correct diagnosis as fast as possible. In severe chest blunt trauma, multidetector computer tomography (MDCT) has become part of the initial workup, mainly due to its high sensitivity and diagnostic accuracy of the technique for the detection and characterization of thoracic injuries and also due to its wide availability in tertiary care centers. The aim of this paper is to review and illustrate a spectrum of characteristic MDCT findings of blunt traumatic injuries of the chest including the lungs, mediastinum, pleural space, and chest wall.

  17. Multidetector Computer Tomography: Evaluation of Blunt Chest Trauma in Adults

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    João Palas

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Imaging plays an essential part of chest trauma care. By definition, the employed imaging technique in the emergency setting should reach the correct diagnosis as fast as possible. In severe chest blunt trauma, multidetector computer tomography (MDCT has become part of the initial workup, mainly due to its high sensitivity and diagnostic accuracy of the technique for the detection and characterization of thoracic injuries and also due to its wide availability in tertiary care centers. The aim of this paper is to review and illustrate a spectrum of characteristic MDCT findings of blunt traumatic injuries of the chest including the lungs, mediastinum, pleural space, and chest wall.

  18. Imaging of blunt chest trauma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wicky, S.; Wintermark, M.; Schnyder, P.; Capasso, P.; Denys, A.

    2000-01-01

    In western European countries most blunt chest traumas are associated with motor vehicle and sport-related accidents. In Switzerland, 39 of 10,000 inhabitants were involved and severely injured in road accidents in 1998. Fifty two percent of them suffered from blunt chest trauma. According to the Swiss Federal Office of Statistics, traumas represented in men the fourth major cause of death (4 %) after cardiovascular disease (38 %), cancer (28 %), and respiratory disease (7 %) in 1998. The outcome of chest trauma patients is determined mainly by the severity of the lesions, the prompt appropriate treatment delivered on the scene of the accident, the time needed to transport the patient to a trauma center, and the immediate recognition of the lesions by a trained emergency team. Other determining factors include age as well as coexisting cardiac, pulmonary, and renal diseases. Our purpose was to review the wide spectrum of pathologies related to blunt chest trauma involving the chest wall, pleura, lungs, trachea and bronchi, aorta, aortic arch vessels, and diaphragm. A particular focus on the diagnostic impact of CT is demonstrated. (orig.)

  19. Myocardial contusion following nonfatal blunt chest trauma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kumar, S.A.; Puri, V.K.; Mittal, V.K.; Cortez, J.

    1983-01-01

    Currently available diagnostic techniques for myocardial contusion following blunt chest trauma were evaluated. We investigated 30 patients prospectively over a period of 1 year for the presence of myocardial contusion. Among the 30 patients, eight were found to have myocardial contusion on the basis of abnormal electrocardiograms, elevated creatine phosphokinase MB fraction (CPK-MB), and positive myocardial scan. Myocardial scan was positive in seven of eight patients (87.5%). CPK-MB fraction was elevated in four of eight patients (50%). Definitive electrocardiographic changes were seen in only two of eight patients (25%). It appears that myocardial scan using technetium pyrophosphate and CPK-MB fraction determinations are the most reliable aids in diagnosis of myocardial contusion following blunt chest trauma

  20. Coronary artery dissection following chest trauma

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    Manoj K Agarwala

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Chest trauma has a high rate of mortality. Coronary dissection causing myocardial infarction (MI following blunt chest trauma is rare. We describe the case of an anterior MI following blunt chest trauma. A 39-year-old male was received in our hospital following a motorcycle accident. The patient was asymptomatic before the accident. The patient underwent craniotomy for evacuation of hematoma. He developed severe chest pain and an electrocardiogram (ECG revealed anterior ST segment elevation following surgery. Acute coronary event was medically managed; subsequently, coronary angiogram was performed that showed dissection in the left anterior coronary artery, which was stented.

  1. Anteroposterior chest radiograph vs. chest CT scan in early detection of pneumothorax in trauma patients

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    Omar Hesham R

    2011-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Pneumothorax is a common complication following blunt chest wall trauma. In these patients, because of the restrictions regarding immobilization of the cervical spine, Anteroposterior (AP chest radiograph is usually the most feasible initial study which is not as sensitive as the erect chest X-ray or CT chest for detection of a pneumothorax. We will present 3 case reports which serve for better understanding of the entity of occult pneumothorax. The first case is an example of a true occult pneumothorax where an initial AP chest X-ray revealed no evidence of pneumothorax and a CT chest immediately performed revealed evidence of pneumothorax. The second case represents an example of a missed rather than a truly occult pneumothorax where the initial chest radiograph revealed clues suggesting the presence of pneumothorax which were missed by the reading radiologist. The third case emphasizes the fact that "occult pneumothorax is predictable". The presence of subcutaneous emphesema and pulmonary contusion should call for further imaging with CT chest to rule out pneumothorax. Thoracic CT scan is therefore the "gold standard" for early detection of a pneumothorax in trauma patients. This report aims to sensitize readers to the entity of occult pneumothorax and create awareness among intensivists and ER physicians regarding the proper diagnosis and management.

  2. Anteroposterior chest radiograph vs. chest CT scan in early detection of pneumothorax in trauma patients.

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    Omar, Hesham R; Mangar, Devanand; Khetarpal, Suneel; Shapiro, David H; Kolla, Jaya; Rashad, Rania; Helal, Engy; Camporesi, Enrico M

    2011-09-27

    Pneumothorax is a common complication following blunt chest wall trauma. In these patients, because of the restrictions regarding immobilization of the cervical spine, Anteroposterior (AP) chest radiograph is usually the most feasible initial study which is not as sensitive as the erect chest X-ray or CT chest for detection of a pneumothorax. We will present 3 case reports which serve for better understanding of the entity of occult pneumothorax. The first case is an example of a true occult pneumothorax where an initial AP chest X-ray revealed no evidence of pneumothorax and a CT chest immediately performed revealed evidence of pneumothorax. The second case represents an example of a missed rather than a truly occult pneumothorax where the initial chest radiograph revealed clues suggesting the presence of pneumothorax which were missed by the reading radiologist. The third case emphasizes the fact that "occult pneumothorax is predictable". The presence of subcutaneous emphesema and pulmonary contusion should call for further imaging with CT chest to rule out pneumothorax. Thoracic CT scan is therefore the "gold standard" for early detection of a pneumothorax in trauma patients. This report aims to sensitize readers to the entity of occult pneumothorax and create awareness among intensivists and ER physicians regarding the proper diagnosis and management.

  3. Surgical repair of right atrial wall rupture after blunt chest trauma.

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    Telich-Tarriba, Jose E; Anaya-Ayala, Javier E; Reardon, Michael J

    2012-01-01

    Right atrial wall rupture after blunt chest trauma is a catastrophic event associated with high mortality rates. We report the case of a 24-year-old woman who was ejected 40 feet during a motor vehicle accident. Upon presentation, she was awake and alert, with a systolic blood pressure of 100 mmHg. Chest computed tomography disclosed a large pericardial effusion; transthoracic echocardiography confirmed this finding and also found right ventricular diastolic collapse. A diagnosis of cardiac tamponade with probable cardiac injury was made; the patient was taken to the operating room, where median sternotomy revealed a 1-cm laceration of the right atrial appendage. This lesion was directly repaired with 4-0 polypropylene suture. Her postoperative course was uneventful, and she continued to recover from injuries to the musculoskeletal system. This case highlights the need for a high degree of suspicion of cardiac injuries after blunt chest trauma. An algorithm is proposed for rapid recognition, diagnosis, and treatment of these lesions.

  4. Chest trauma in children: A local experience

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Al-Saigh, A.; Fazili, Fiaz M.; Allam, Abdulla R.

    1999-01-01

    Chest trauma in childhood is relatively uncommon in clinical practice andhas been the subject of few reports in literature. This study was undertakento examine our experience in dealing with chest trauma in children. This wasa retrospective study of 74 children who sustained chest trauma and werereferred to King Fahd Hospital in Medina over a two-year period. The age,cause of injury, severity of injury, associated extrathoracic injuries,treatment and outcome were analyzed. The median age of patients was nineyears. Fifty-nine of them (80%) sustained blunt trauma in 62% of thechildren, gun shot wounds were seen in five and stab wounds in 10 children.Head injury was the most common injury associated with thoracic trauma andwas seen in 14 patients (19%) and associated intra-abdominal injuries wereseen in nine patients. Chest x-ray of the blunt trauma patients revealedfractured ribs in 24 children, pneumothorax in six, hemothorax in four,hemoneumothorax in three, and pulmonary contusions in 22 patients. Fifty onepercent of children were managed conservatively, 37% required tubethoracostomy, 8% were mechanically ventilated and 4% underwent thoractomy.The prevalence of chest trauma in children due to road traffic accidents ishigh in Saudi Arabia. Head injury is thought to be the most common associatedextrathoracic injuries, however, most of these patients can be managedconservatively. (author)

  5. Role of computed tomography in blunt chest trauma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cho, Jae Hyun; Kim, Sang Jin; Lee, Chan Wha; Kim, Hae Kyoon

    1994-01-01

    In patient with blunt trauma of chest, supine AP x-ray cannot differentiate the lung contusion, laceration, atelectasis, and hemothorax definitely. Therefore, computed tomographic evaluation is needed for accurate evaluation of the injuries. In our knowledge, there are few reports about CT findings of blunt chest trauma, in our country, therefore we tried to fluid the characteristic CT findings in patients with blunt trauma. We analyzed the plain x-ray and CT image of 4 patients with blunt chest trauma. Location and morphology of lung parenchymal contusion and laceration, hemopneumothorax, chest wall injuries and location of chest tube. Lung parenchymal contusion was noted in 53 segments., of 16 patients infiltration(n=27 segment), and multiple nodular pattern was noted in 15 segment, pattern of consolidation along the lung periphery was seen in 11 segment. Laceration was noted in 18 lesion and most commonly located in paravertebral area(b=8). CT scan of chest in patient with blunt chest trauma, provides accurate information of the pattern of injuries, and localization, therefore, should be performed as possible

  6. Tracheal rupture caused by blunt chest trauma: radiological and clinical features

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    Kunisch-Hoppe, M.; Rauber, K.; Rau, W.S. [Dept. of Diagnostic Radiology, Justus Liebig Univ., Giessen (Germany); Hoppe, M. [Dept. of Diagnostic Radiology, University Hospital, Philipps University, Marburg (Germany); Popella, C. [Dept. of ENT, Justus Liebig University, Giessen (Germany)

    2000-03-01

    The aim of this study was to assess radiomorphologic and clinical features of tracheal rupture due to blunt chest trauma. From 1992 until 1998 the radiomorphologic and clinical key findings of all consecutive tracheal ruptures were retrospectively analyzed. The study included ten patients (7 men and 3 women; mean age 35 years); all had pneumothoraces which were persistent despite suction drainage. Seven patients developed a pneumomediastinum as well as a subcutaneous emphysema on conventional chest X-rays. In five patients, one major hint leading to the diagnosis was a cervical emphysema, discovered on the lateral cervical spine view. Contrast-media-enhanced thoracic CT was obtained in all ten cases and showed additional injuries (atelectasis n = 5; lung contusion n = 4; lung laceration n = 2; hematothorax n = 2 and hematomediastinum n = 4). The definite diagnosis of tracheal rupture was made by bronchoscopy, which was obtained in all patients. Tracheal rupture due to blunt chest trauma occurs rarely. Key findings were all provided by conventional chest X-ray. Tracheal rupture is suspected in front of a pneumothorax, a pneumomediastinum, or a subcutaneous emphysema on lateral cervical spine and chest films. Routine thoracic CT could also demonstrate these findings but could not confirm the definite diagnosis of an tracheal rupture except in one case; in the other 9 cases this was done by bronchoscopy. Thus, bronchoscopy should be mandatory in all suspicious cases of tracheal rupture and remains the gold standard. (orig.)

  7. Tracheal rupture caused by blunt chest trauma: radiological and clinical features

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kunisch-Hoppe, M.; Rauber, K.; Rau, W.S.; Hoppe, M.; Popella, C.

    2000-01-01

    The aim of this study was to assess radiomorphologic and clinical features of tracheal rupture due to blunt chest trauma. From 1992 until 1998 the radiomorphologic and clinical key findings of all consecutive tracheal ruptures were retrospectively analyzed. The study included ten patients (7 men and 3 women; mean age 35 years); all had pneumothoraces which were persistent despite suction drainage. Seven patients developed a pneumomediastinum as well as a subcutaneous emphysema on conventional chest X-rays. In five patients, one major hint leading to the diagnosis was a cervical emphysema, discovered on the lateral cervical spine view. Contrast-media-enhanced thoracic CT was obtained in all ten cases and showed additional injuries (atelectasis n = 5; lung contusion n = 4; lung laceration n = 2; hematothorax n = 2 and hematomediastinum n = 4). The definite diagnosis of tracheal rupture was made by bronchoscopy, which was obtained in all patients. Tracheal rupture due to blunt chest trauma occurs rarely. Key findings were all provided by conventional chest X-ray. Tracheal rupture is suspected in front of a pneumothorax, a pneumomediastinum, or a subcutaneous emphysema on lateral cervical spine and chest films. Routine thoracic CT could also demonstrate these findings but could not confirm the definite diagnosis of an tracheal rupture except in one case; in the other 9 cases this was done by bronchoscopy. Thus, bronchoscopy should be mandatory in all suspicious cases of tracheal rupture and remains the gold standard. (orig.)

  8. Classification and management of chest trauma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Farooq, U.; Raza, W.; Zia, N.; Hanif, M.; Khan, M.M.

    2006-01-01

    Objective: To classify the predominant pattern of injuries following blunt and penetrating chest trauma and to assess the adequacy of treatment strategies, complications and mortality associated with such injuries. Design: Descriptive study. Place and Duration of Study: Surgical Unit I, Holy Family Hospital, Rawalpindi, from December 2000 to December 2003. Patients and Methods: One hundred consecutive patients with thoracic trauma either blunt or penetrating, admitted in the ward were evaluated. Their injuries were classified, treatment strategies outlined and complications and mortality were documented on a specially-designed proforma. Results: Out of the 100 patients presenting in emergency, 44% presented with blunt and 56% with penetrating trauma. Pneumothorax was detected in 39% of the patients, hemopneumothorax in 29%, hemothorax in 12%, flail chest in 9%. Two had involvement of the heart and major vessels, 4% had injury to the diaphragm and 5% had multiple trauma. During treatment, 3% of all the patients were managed conservatively, 83% of patients required chest intubations, 6% needed ventilatory support and 8 % required thoracotomy. Complications were experienced in 28% of the patients of which 9% had pneumonias, 14% empyema and 5% suffered from wound infections. The overall mortality was 7%. Conclusion: This series showed the pattern of injuries following blunt and penetrating chest trauma. Furthermore, it was found that chest incubation and simple resuscitation was adequate for majority of the cases. (author)

  9. CT findings of chest trauma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Young Tong; Kim Young Il

    1998-01-01

    Trauma is the third leading cause of death, irrespective of age, and the leading cause of death in persons under 40 persons under 40 years of age. Most pleural, pulmonary, mediastinal, and diaphragmatic injuries are not seen on conventional chest radiographs, or are underestimated. In patients with chest trauma, CT scanning is an effective and sensitive method of detecting thoracic injuries and provides accurate information regarding their pattern and extent. (author). 5 refs., 17 figs

  10. Isolated right atrial appendage rupture following blunt chest trauma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hegde, Rakesh; Lafayette, Nathan; Sywak, Michael; Ricketts, Gregory; Otero, Jorge; Kurtzman, Scott; Zhang, Zhongqiu

    2018-02-01

    Right sided tears or rupture are the most common injury to the heart after blunt chest trauma. The majority of these injuries are to the thin walled atrium. Reports of localized right atrial appendage rupture are rare. The classical features of Beck's triad are unreliable in the trauma bay. With the advent of EFAST (Focused assessment with sonography for trauma extended to thorax), Beck's triad should be considered but not used as the primary clinical tool for diagnosis of cardiac tamponade [1]. EFAST aids in rapid diagnosis and definitive care [3]. Our patient was a 17 year old male who presented with hypotension after a rollover motor vehicle accident. He presented with a grossly negative physical exam and positive EFAST for pericardial effusion with tamponade physiology. We performed an emergency pericardiocentesis and expedited transportation for operative exploration. A Right atrial appendage injury was identified and repaired and patient recovered uneventfully. EFAST examination aids in rapid diagnosis of cardiac tamponade in the trauma setting. Pericardiocentesis facilitates temporizing the hemodynamics in preparation for operative exploration.

  11. Predictors of abnormal chest CT after blunt trauma: a critical appraisal of the literature.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Brink, M.; Kool, D.R.; Dekker, H.M.; Deunk, J.; Jager, G.J.; Kuijk, C. van; Edwards, M.J.R.; Blickman, J.G.

    2009-01-01

    AIM: To identify and to evaluate predictors that determine whether chest computed tomography (CT) is likely to reveal relevant injuries in adult blunt trauma patients. METHODS: After a comprehensive literature search for original studies on blunt chest injury diagnosis, two independent observers

  12. CT of blunt chest trauma in children

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Manson, D.; Babyn, P.S.; Palder, S.; Bergmann, K.

    1993-01-01

    While trauma is still the leading cause of death in the pediatric age range, it is surprising how little the CT appearances of pediatric chest injury have been investigated in the literature. We have reviewed the CT findings of blunt chest trauma in 44 children for whom chest CT examinations were requested to investigate the extent of intrathoracic injury. We noted a propensity for pulmonary contusions to be located posteriorly or posteromedially, and for them to be anatomically nonsegmental and crescentic in shape. This is possibly attributable to the relatively compliant anterior chest wall in children. The CT appearances of other major thoracic injuries are described, including pulmonary lacerations, pneumothoraces, malpositioned chest tubes, mediastinal hematomas, aortic injury, tracheobronchial injury, hemopericardium, and spinal injuries with paraspinal fluid collections. Children demonstrating findings incidental to the actual injury yet important to the subsequent therapy are also presented. We conclude that, in the event of clinically significant blunt chest trauma, the single supine chest examination in the trauma room is insufficient to adequately identify the extent of intrathoracic injury. With the exception of concern for aortic injury for which aortography is indicated, a dynamically enhanced CT scan of the thorax should be performed as clinically significant findings may result in altered therapy. (orig.)

  13. The Use of Chest Computed Tomographic Angiography in Blunt Trauma Pediatric Population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hasadia, Rabea; DuBose, Joseph; Peleg, Kobi; Stephenson, Jacob; Givon, Adi; Kessel, Boris

    2018-02-05

    Blunt chest trauma in children is common. Although rare, associated major thoracic vascular injuries (TVIs) are lethal potential sequelae of these mechanisms. The preferred study for definitive diagnosis of TVI in stable patients is computed tomographic angiography imaging of the chest. This imaging modality is, however, associated with high doses of ionizing radiation that represent significant carcinogenic risk for pediatric patients. The aim of the present investigation was to define the incidence of TVI among blunt pediatric trauma patients in an effort to better elucidate the usefulness of computed tomographic angiography use in this population. A retrospective cohort study was conducted including all blunt pediatric (age blunt trauma victims, 119,821patients were younger than 14 years. Twelve (0.0001%, 12/119821) of these children were diagnosed with TVI. The most common mechanism in this group was pedestrian hit by a car. Mortality was 41.7% (5/12). Thoracic vascular injury is exceptionally rare among pediatric blunt trauma victims but does contribute to the high morbidity and mortality seen with blunt chest trauma. Computed tomographic angiography, with its associated radiation exposure risk, should not be used as a standard tool after trauma in injured children. Clinical protocols are needed in this population to minimize radiation risk while allowing prompt identification of life-threatening injuries.

  14. Delayed pneumothorax complicating minor rib fracture after chest trauma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lu, Ming-Shian; Huang, Yao-Kuang; Liu, Yun-Hen; Liu, Hui-Ping; Kao, Chiung-Lun

    2008-06-01

    Pneumothorax (PTX) after trauma is a preventable cause of death. Drainage procedures such as chest tube insertion have been traditionally advocated to prevent fatal tension PTX. We evaluated the safety of close observation in patients with delayed PTX complicating rib fracture after minor chest trauma. Adult patients (>18 years) with a diagnosis of chest trauma and 3 or fewer fractured ribs were reviewed. Case patients were divided according to age, location and number of fractured ribs, mechanism of trauma, and initial pulmonary complication after thoracic trauma for comparative analysis. There were 207 male (70.2%) and 88 female (29.8%) patients whose ages ranged from 18 to 93 years (median, 55 years). The mechanisms of trauma were a motor vehicle accident in 207 patients, falls in 66, pedestrian injury in 10, and assaults in 14. Ninety-five patients sustained 1 rib fracture, 95 had 2 rib fractures, and 105 suffered 3 rib fractures. Right-sided injury occurred in 164 cases, left-sided injury did in 127, and bilateral injury did in 4. The most frequent location of rib fractures was from the fourth rib to the ninth rib. The initial pulmonary complications after trauma were PTX in 16 patients, hemothorax in 43, pneumohemothorax in 14, lung contusion in 75, and isolated subcutaneous emphysema (SubcEmph) in 33. Thirty percent of the patients (n = 5/16) who presented with traumatic PTX were observed safely without drainage. Delayed PTX was recorded in 16 patients, occurring mostly during the first 2 days of their admission. Associated extrathoracic injury was recorded in 189 patients. The mean hospital stay of the patients was 7.66 days. Longer hospital stay was related to increasing number of fractured ribs, need for thoracic drainage, and the presence of associated extrathoracic injury. The mortality rate for the entire group was 2%. The presence of SubcEmph was the only risk factor associated with the development of delayed PTX. Patients sustaining blunt chest

  15. Pneumomediastinum in Blunt Chest Trauma: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gregory Mansella

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Blunt trauma is the most common mechanism of injury in patients with pneumomediastinum and may occur in up to 10% of patients with severe blunt thoracic and cervical trauma. In this case report we present a 24-year-old man with pneumomediastinum due to blunt chest trauma after jumping from a bridge into a river. He complained of persistent retrosternal pain with exacerbation during deep inspiration. Physical examination showed only a slight tenderness of the sternum and the extended Focused Assessment with Sonography for Trauma (e-FAST was normal. Pneumomediastinum was suspected by chest X-ray and confirmed by computed tomography, which showed a lung contusion as probable cause of the pneumomediastinum due to the “Mackling effect.” Sonographic findings consistent with pneumomediastinum, like the “air gap” sign, are helpful for quick bedside diagnosis, but the diagnostic criteria are not yet as well established as for pneumothorax. This present case shows that despite minimal findings in physical examination and a normal e-FAST a pneumomediastinum is still possible in a patient with chest pain after blunt chest trauma. Therefore, pneumomediastinum should always be considered to prevent missing major aerodigestive injuries, which can be associated with a high mortality rate.

  16. Trauma of the chest

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Reuter, M.

    1996-01-01

    This paper describes the typical radiologic findings in chest trauma, and the value of conventional radiography, CT, MRI, and aortography is discussed. Conventional radiography rather than cross-sectional imaging is the mainstay in diagnosing thoracic trauma. During the critical phase with often concomitant shock, pelvic and spinal injuries tailored raiographic views or even upright chest radiographs are impractical. The severely traumatized patient is usually radiographed in the supine position and suboptimal roentgenograms may have to be accepted for several reasons. It is well documented that many abnormalities detected on CT were not apparent on conventional radiographs, but CT is reserved for hemodynamical stable patients. Nevertheless certain situations like aortic rupture require further evaluation by CT and aortography. (orig./MG)

  17. Accuracy of chest radiography versus chest computed tomography in hemodynamically stable patients with blunt chest trauma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chardoli Mojtaba

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available 【Abstract】 Objective: Thoracic injuries are respon- sible for 25% of deaths of blunt traumas. Chest X-ray (CXR is the first diagnostic method in patients with blunt trauma. The aim of this study was to detect the accuracy of CXR versus chest computed tomograpgy (CT in hemodynami- cally stable patients with blunt chest trauma. Methods: Study was conducted at the emergency department of Sina Hospital from March 2011 to March 2012. Hemodynamically stable patients with at least 16 years of age who had blunt chest trauma were included. All patients underwent the same diagnostic protocol which consisted of physical examination, CXR and CT scan respectively. Results: Two hundreds patients (84% male and 16% female were included with a mean age of (37.9±13.7 years. Chin J Traumatol 2013;16(6:351-354 Rib fracture was the most common finding of CXR (12.5% and CT scan (25.5%. The sensitivity of CXR for hemothorax, thoracolumbar vertebra fractures and rib fractures were 20%, 49% and 49%, respectively. Pneumothorax, foreign body, emphysema, pulmonary contusion, liver hematoma and ster- num fracture were not diagnosed with CXR alone. Conclusion: Applying CT scan as the first-line diag- nostic modality in hemodynamically stable patients with blunt chest trauma can detect pathologies which may change management and outcome. Key words: Radiography; Thoracic injuries; Tomography, X-ray computed

  18. Occult pneumomediastinum in blunt chest trauma: clinical significance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rezende-Neto, J B; Hoffmann, J; Al Mahroos, M; Tien, H; Hsee, L C; Spencer Netto, F; Speers, V; Rizoli, S B

    2010-01-01

    Thoracic injuries are potentially responsible for 25% of all trauma deaths. Chest X-ray is commonly used to screen patients with chest injury. However, the use of computed tomography (CT) scan for primary screening is increasing, particularly for blunt trauma. CT scans are more sensitive than chest X-ray in detecting intra-thoracic abnormalities such as pneumothoraces and pneumomediastinums. Pneumomediastinum detected by chest X-ray or "overt pneumomediastinum", raises the concern of possible aerodigestive tract injuries. In contrast, there is scarce information on the clinical significance of pneumomediastinum diagnosed by CT scan only or "occult pneumomediastinum". Therefore we investigated the clinical consequences of occult pneumomediastinum in our blunt trauma population. A 2-year retrospective chart review of all blunt chest trauma patients with initial chest CT scan admitted to a level I trauma centre. Data extracted from the medical records include; demographics, occult, overt, or no pneumomediastinum, the presence of intra-thoracic aerodigestive tract injuries (trachea, bronchus, and/or esophagus), mechanism and severity of injury, endotracheal intubation, chest thoracostomy, operations and radiological reports by an attending radiologist. All patients with intra-thoracic aerodigestive tract injuries from 1994 to 2004 were also investigated. Of 897 patients who met the inclusion criteria 839 (93.5%) had no pneumomediastinum. Five patients (0.6%) had overt pneumomediastinum and 53 patients (5.9%) had occult pneumomediastinum. Patients with occult pneumomediastinum had significantly higher ISS and AIS chest (pchest thoracostomy tube was more common (ppneumothorax. None of the patients with occult pneumomediastinum had aerodigestive tract injuries (95%CI 0-0.06). Follow up CT scan of patients with occult pneumomediastinum showed complete resolution in all cases, in average 3 h after the initial exam. Occult pneumomediastinum occurred in approximately 6% of

  19. ACR appropriateness criteria blunt chest trauma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chung, Jonathan H; Cox, Christian W; Mohammed, Tan-Lucien H; Kirsch, Jacobo; Brown, Kathleen; Dyer, Debra Sue; Ginsburg, Mark E; Heitkamp, Darel E; Kanne, Jeffrey P; Kazerooni, Ella A; Ketai, Loren H; Ravenel, James G; Saleh, Anthony G; Shah, Rakesh D; Steiner, Robert M; Suh, Robert D

    2014-04-01

    Imaging is paramount in the setting of blunt trauma and is now the standard of care at any trauma center. Although anteroposterior radiography has inherent limitations, the ability to acquire a radiograph in the trauma bay with little interruption in clinical survey, monitoring, and treatment, as well as radiography's accepted role in screening for traumatic aortic injury, supports the routine use of chest radiography. Chest CT or CT angiography is the gold-standard routine imaging modality for detecting thoracic injuries caused by blunt trauma. There is disagreement on whether routine chest CT is necessary in all patients with histories of blunt trauma. Ultimately, the frequency and timing of CT chest imaging should be site specific and should depend on the local resources of the trauma center as well as patient status. Ultrasound may be beneficial in the detection of pneumothorax, hemothorax, and pericardial hemorrhage; transesophageal echocardiography is a first-line imaging tool in the setting of suspected cardiac injury. In the blunt trauma setting, MRI and nuclear medicine likely play no role in the acute setting, although these modalities may be helpful as problem-solving tools after initial assessment. The ACR Appropriateness Criteria are evidence-based guidelines for specific clinical conditions that are reviewed every 2 years by a multidisciplinary expert panel. The guideline development and review include an extensive analysis of current medical literature from peer-reviewed journals and the application of a well-established consensus methodology (modified Delphi) to rate the appropriateness of imaging and treatment procedures by the panel. In those instances in which evidence is lacking or not definitive, expert opinion may be used to recommend imaging or treatment. Copyright © 2014 American College of Radiology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Early detection of myocardial infarction following blunt chest trauma by computed tomography: a case report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Thung-Lip; Hsuan, Chin-Feng; Shih, Chen-Hsiang; Liang, Huai-Wen; Tsai, Hsing-Shan; Tseng, Wei-Kung; Hsu, Kwan-Lih

    2017-02-10

    Blunt cardiac trauma encompasses a wide range of clinical entities, including myocardial contusion, cardiac rupture, valve avulsion, pericardial injuries, arrhythmia, and even myocardial infarction. Acute myocardial infarction due to coronary artery dissection after blunt chest trauma is rare and may be life threatening. Differential diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction from cardiac contusion at this setting is not easy. Here we demonstrated a case of blunt chest trauma, with computed tomography detected myocardium enhancement defect early at emergency department. Under the impression of acute myocardial infarction, emergent coronary angiography revealed left anterior descending artery occlusion. Revascularization was performed and coronary artery dissection was found after thrombus aspiration. Finally, the patient survived after coronary stenting. Perfusion defects of myocardium enhancement on CT after blunt chest trauma can be very helpful to suggest myocardial infarction and facilitate the decision making of emergent procedure. This valuable sign should not be missed during the initial interpretation.

  1. Chest trauma in children: current imaging guidelines and techniques.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Moore, Michael A

    2011-09-01

    Given the heterogeneous nature of pediatric chest trauma, the optimal imaging approach is tailored to the specific patient. Chest radiography remains the most important imaging modality for initial triage. The decision to perform a chest computed tomography scan should be based on the nature of the trauma, the child\\'s clinical condition, and the initial radiographic findings, taking the age-related pretest probabilities of serious injury into account. The principles of as low as reasonably achievable and Image Gently should be followed. The epidemiology and pathophysiology, imaging techniques, characteristic findings, and evidence-based algorithms for pediatric chest trauma are discussed.

  2. Cardiogenic shock following blunt chest trauma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rodríguez-González Fayna

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Cardiac contusion, usually caused by blunt chest trauma, has been recognized with increased frequency over the past decades. Traffic accidents are the most frequent cause of cardiac contusions resulting from a direct blow to the chest. Other causes of blunt cardiac injury are numerous and include violent fall impacts, interpersonal aggression, explosions, and various types of high-risk sports. Myocardial contusion is difficult to diagnose; clinical presentation varies greatly, ranging from lack of symptoms to cardiogenic shock and arrhythmia. Although death is rare, cardiac contusion can be fatal. We present a case of cardiac contusion due to blunt chest trauma secondary to a fall impact, which manifested as cardiogenic shock.

  3. Ventricular septal necrosis after blunt chest trauma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alireza Ahmadi

    2012-07-01

    Full Text Available Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD after blunt chest trauma is a very rare traumatic affection.We report here a case of blunt chest injury-related VSD and pseudoaneurysm.A 30-year old male truck driver was referred from a trauma center to our hospital seven days after a blunt chest trauma and rib fracture. The patient had severe pulmonary edemaand echocardiography showed large VSD. Several mechanisms are involved in the pathogenesis of this affection including an acute compression of the heart muscle between the sternum and the spine, leading to excessive changes in the intrathoracic and most likely theintracardiac pressure after blunt chest injury. Traumatical patients with the same symptoms may be at risk of sudden death. Therefore, a high grade of suspicion is mandatory even without solid evidence of myocardial damage on the initial evaluation. In continue somehidden angles of this case was discussed. Given the prognostic implications of traumatic VSD with associated pseudoaneurysm, its detection has critical value for preventing its clinicalsequelae.

  4. Specific Radiological Findings of Traumatic Gastrointestinal Tract Injuries in Patients With Blunt Chest and Abdominal Trauma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kokabi, Nima; Harmouche, Elie; Xing, Minzhi; Shuaib, Waqas; Mittal, Pardeep K; Wilson, Kenneth; Johnson, Jamlik-Omari; Nicolaou, Savvas; Khosa, Faisal

    2015-05-01

    Gastrointestinal hollow viscus injury after blunt chest and abdominal trauma is uncommon and complicates 0.6%-1.2% of all cases of trauma. Early recognition of such injuries significantly decreases morbidity and mortality. Since physical examination is not accurate in detecting such injuries, contrast-enhanced computed tomography has been the mainstay for diagnosis in many emergency departments. This pictorial essay aims to review the incidence, mechanisms, and signs of gastrointestinal hollow viscus injuries in the setting of blunt chest and abdominal trauma. Copyright © 2015 Canadian Association of Radiologists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Chest tube placement in thorax trauma - comparison chest X-ray and computed tomography (CT)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Heim, P.; Maas, R.; Buecheler, E.; Tesch, C.

    1998-01-01

    Estimation of chest tube placement in patients with thoracic trauma with regard to chest tube malposition in chest radiography in the supine position compared to additional computed tomography of the thorax. Material and methods: Apart from compulsory chest radiography after one or multiple chest tube insertions, 31 severely injured patients with thoracic trauma underwent a CT scan of the thorax. These 31 patients with 40 chest tubes constituted the basis for the present analysis. Results: In chest radiography in the supine position there were no chest tube malpositions (n=40); In the CT scans 25 correct positions, 7 pseudo-malpositions, 6 intrafissural and 2 intrapulmonary malpositions were identified. Moreover 16 sufficient, 18 insufficient and 6 indifferent functions of the chest tubes were seen. Conclusion: In case of lasting clinical problems and questionable function of the chest tube, chest radiography should be supplemented by a CT scan of the thorax in order to estimate the position of the chest tube. (orig.) [de

  6. Chest Traumas due to Bicycle accident in Childhood

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ufuk Cobanoglu

    2011-09-01

    Full Text Available Aim:Childhood injuries are the leading cause of death in children and result in significant healthcare utilization. Trauma is the second most common cause of mortality in children aged 1-4 years and leading cause of death in children older than 4 years. Thoracic injury is the second most leading cause of death in traumatized children. Multisystemic injury is found in more than 50% of children with thoracic injuries most of which are secondary to blunt traumas. We planned this study to evaluate thorax trauma cases secondary to bicycle driving in childhood and to draw attention to the importance of the regulation of traffic rules, the education of bicycle drivers.Material and Methods:  A retrospective evaluation was performed in 17 pediatric patients admitted to the Department of Thoracic Surgery during 2006-2010 with a diagnosis of chest trauma due to bicycle driving. For every patient, a pediatric trauma score (PTS was calculated. Descriptive statistics were performed for PTS. Results; Eleven (64.70% cases were injured due to the tricycle accidents and six cases 6 (35.29% were injured due to the two-wheeled bicycle accidents. The most frequent thoracic pathologies included pulmonary contusion (41.2% and chest wall contusion (29.41%. Extrathoracic injuries were seen in 35.29%, the extremities (17.64% and abdomino pelvic (11.76% being the most commonly involved. Treatment consisted of symptomatic treatment in 12 patients (70.58%, tube thoracostomy in 2 patients (11.76%, and thoracotomy in 1 patient (5.9%. The morbidity was seen in 3 patients (17.64%. The mortality rate was 5.9% (n:1. The mean PTS of the cases who had additional system injuries were significantly worse than the cases who had isolated chest traumas Conclusions: The pediatric thorax has a greater cartilage content and incomplete ossification of the ribs. Due to the pliability of the pediatric rib cage and mediastinal mobility, significant intrathoracic injury may exist in the

  7. Simple X-ray versus ultrasonography examination in blunt chest trauma: effective tools of accurate diagnosis and considerations for rib fractures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hwang, Eun Gu; Lee, Yunjung

    2016-12-01

    Simple radiography is the best diagnostic tool for rib fractures caused by chest trauma, but it has some limitations. Thus, other tools are also being used. The aims of this study were to investigate the effectiveness of ultrasonography (US) for identifying rib fractures and to identify influencing factors of its effectiveness. Between October 2003 and August 2007, 201 patients with blunt chest trauma were available to undergo chest radiographic and US examinations for diagnosis of rib fractures. The two modalities were compared in terms of effectiveness based on simple radiographic readings and US examination results. We also investigated the factors that influenced the effectiveness of US examination. Rib fractures were detected on radiography in 69 patients (34.3%) but not in 132 patients. Rib fractures were diagnosed by using US examination in 160 patients (84.6%). Of the 132 patients who showed no rib fractures on radiography, 92 showed rib fractures on US. Among the 69 patients of rib fracture detected on radiography, 33 had additional rib fractures detected on US. Of the patients, 76 (37.8%) had identical radiographic and US results, and 125 (62.2%) had fractures detected on US that were previously undetected on radiography or additional fractures detected on US. Age, duration until US examination, and fracture location were not significant influencing factors. However, in the group without detected fractures on radiography, US showed a more significant effectiveness than in the group with detected fractures on radiography ( P =0.003). US examination could detect unnoticed rib fractures on simple radiography. US examination is especially more effective in the group without detected fractures on radiography. More attention should be paid to patients with chest trauma who have no detected fractures on radiography.

  8. Factors Associated with ICU Admission following Blunt Chest Trauma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andrea Bellone

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Background. Blunt chest wall trauma accounts for over 10% of all trauma patients presenting to emergency departments worldwide. When the injury is not as severe, deciding which blunt chest wall trauma patients require a higher level of clinical input can be difficult. We hypothesized that patient factors, injury patterns, analgesia, postural condition, and positive airway pressure influence outcomes. Methods. The study population consisted of patients hospitalized with at least 3 rib fractures (RF and at least one pulmonary contusion and/or at least one pneumothorax lower than 2 cm. Results. A total of 140 patients were retrospectively analyzed. Ten patients (7.1% were admitted to intensive care unit (ICU within the first 72 hours, because of deterioration of the clinical conditions and gas exchange with worsening of chest X-ray/thoracic ultrasound/chest computed tomography. On univariable analysis and multivariable analysis, obliged orthopnea (p=0.0018 and the severity of trauma score (p<0.0002 were associated with admission to ICU. Conclusions. Obliged orthopnea was an independent predictor of ICU admission among patients incurring non-life-threatening blunt chest wall trauma. The main therapeutic approach associated with improved outcome is the prevention of pulmonary infections due to reduced tidal volume, namely, upright postural condition and positive airway pressure.

  9. Significance of X-ray examination in the diagnosis of contralateral pneumonia in closed chest trauma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anan'ina, G.V.; Parizhskij, Z.M.; Abramova, T.T.

    1986-01-01

    It is shown that after unilateral closed chest traumas X-ray examination of both lungs should be conducted to except traumatic pneumonia as at the side of the trauma as in contralateral lung and to exclude pneumonia complications. Special attention must be paid to the patients with traumatic rib fractures and to those who has chromic nonspecific diseases of lungs and abused with alcochol

  10. Lessons from a large trauma center: impact of blunt chest trauma in polytrauma patients-still a relevant problem?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chrysou, Konstantina; Halat, Gabriel; Hoksch, Beatrix; Schmid, Ralph A; Kocher, Gregor J

    2017-04-20

    Thoracic trauma is the third most common cause of death after abdominal injury and head trauma in polytrauma patients. The purpose of this study was to investigate epidemiological data, treatment and outcome of polytrauma patients with blunt chest trauma in order to help improve management, prevent complications and decrease polytrauma patients' mortality. In this retrospective study we included all polytrauma patients with blunt chest trauma admitted to our tertiary care center emergency department for a 2-year period, from June 2012 until May 2014. Data collection included details of treatment and outcome. Patients with chest trauma and Injury Severity Score (ISS) ≥18 and Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) >2 in more than one body region were included. A total of 110 polytrauma patients with blunt chest injury were evaluated. 82 of them were males and median age was 48.5 years. Car accidents, falls from a height and motorbike accidents were the most common causes (>75%) for blunt chest trauma. Rib fractures, pneumothorax and pulmonary contusion were the most common chest injuries. Most patients (64.5%) sustained a serious chest injury (AIS thorax 3), 19.1% a severe chest injury (AIS thorax 4) and 15.5% a moderate chest injury (AIS thorax 2). 90% of patients with blunt chest trauma were treated conservatively. Chest tube insertion was indicated in 54.5% of patients. The need for chest tube was significantly higher among the AIS thorax 4 group in comparison to the AIS groups 3 and 2 (p < 0.001). Also, admission to the ICU was directly related to the severity of the AIS thorax (p < 0.001). The severity of chest trauma did not correlate with ICU length of stay, intubation days, complications or mortality. Although 84.5% of patients suffered from serious or even severe chest injury, neither in the conservative nor in the surgically treated group a significant impact of injury severity on ICU stay, intubation days, complications or mortality was observed. AIS

  11. Urgent thoracotomy for penetrating chest trauma: analysis of 158 patients of a single center.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Onat, Serdar; Ulku, Refik; Avci, Alper; Ates, Gungor; Ozcelik, Cemal

    2011-09-01

    Penetrating injuries to the chest present a frequent and challenging problem, but the majority of these injuries can be managed non-\\operatively. The aim of this study was to describe the incidence of penetrating chest trauma and the ultimate techniques used for operative management, as well as the diagnosis, complications, morbidity and mortality. A retrospective 9-year review of patients who underwent an operative procedure following penetrating chest trauma was performed. The mechanism of injury, gender, age, physiological and outcome parameters, including injury severity score (ISS), chest abbreviated injury scale (AIS) score, lung injury scale score, concomitant injuries, time from admission to operating room, transfusion requirement, indications for thoracotomy, intra-operative findings, operative procedures, length of hospital stay (LOS) and rate of mortality were recorded. A total of 1123 patients who were admitted with penetrating thoracic trauma were investigated. Of these, 158 patients (93 stabbings, 65 gunshots) underwent a thoracotomy within 24 h after the penetrating trauma. There were 146 (92.4%) male and 12 (7.6%) female patients, and their mean age was 25.72 9.33 (range, 15–54) years. The mean LOS was 10.65 8.30 (range, 5–65) days. Patients admitted after a gunshot had a significantly longer LOS than those admitted with a stab wound (gunshot, 13.53 9.92 days; stab wound, 8.76 6.42 days, p chest AIS score (p chest requiring a thoracotomy are uncommon, and lung-sparing techniques have become the most frequently used procedures for lung injuries. The presence of associated abdominal injuries increased the mortality five-fold. Factors that affected mortality were ISS, chest AIS score, SBP, ongoing chest output, blood transfusion volume, diaphragmatic injury and associated abdominal injury.

  12. Prevalence of chest trauma, associated injuries and mortality: a level I trauma centre experience.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Veysi, Veysi T; Nikolaou, Vassilios S; Paliobeis, Christos; Efstathopoulos, Nicolas; Giannoudis, Peter V

    2009-10-01

    A review of prospectively collected data in our trauma unit for the years 1998-2003 was undertaken. Adult patients who suffered multiple trauma with an Injury Severity Score (ISS) of >/=16, admitted to hospital for more than 72 hours and with sustained blunt chest injuries were included in the study. Demographic details including pre-hospital care, trauma history, admission vital signs, blood transfusions, details of injuries and their abbreviated injury scores (AIS), operations, length of intensive care unit and hospital stays, Injury Severity Score (ISS) and mortality were analysed. Fulfilling the inclusion criteria with at least one chest injury were 1,164 patients. The overall mortality reached 18.7%. As expected, patients in the higher AIS groups had both a higher overall ISS and mortality rate with one significant exception; patients with minor chest injuries (AIS(chest) = 1) were associated with mortality comparable to injuries involving an AIS(chest) = 3. Additionally, the vast majority of polytraumatised patients with an AIS(chest) = 1 died in ICU sooner than patients of groups 2-5.

  13. Does hemopericardium after chest trauma mandate sternotomy?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thorson, Chad M; Namias, Nicholas; Van Haren, Robert M; Guarch, Gerardo A; Ginzburg, Enrique; Salerno, Tomas A; Schulman, Carl I; Livingstone, Alan S; Proctor, Kenneth G

    2012-06-01

    Recently, three patients with hemopericardium after severe chest trauma were successfully managed nonoperatively at our institution. This prompted the question whether these were rare or common events. Therefore, we reviewed our experience with similar injuries to test the hypothesis that trauma-induced hemopericardium mandates sternotomy. Records were retrospectively reviewed for all patients at a Level I trauma center (December 1996 to November 2011) who sustained chest trauma with pericardial window (PCW, n = 377) and/or median sternotomy (n = 110). Fifty-five (15%) patients with positive PCW proceeded to sternotomy. Penetrating injury was the dominant mechanism (n = 49, 89%). Nineteen (35%) were hypotensive on arrival or during initial resuscitation. Most received surgeon-performed focused cardiac ultrasound examinations (n = 43, 78%) with positive results (n = 25, 58%). Ventricular injuries were most common, with equivalent numbers occurring on the right (n = 16, 29%) and left (n = 15, 27%). Six (11%) with positive PCW had isolated pericardial lacerations, but 21 (38%) had no repairable cardiac or great vessel injury. Those with therapeutic versus nontherapeutic sternotomies were similar with respect to age, mechanisms of injury, injury severity scores, presenting laboratory values, resuscitation fluids, and vital signs. Multiple logistic regression revealed that penetrating trauma (odds ratio: 13.3) and hemodynamic instability (odds ratio: 7.8) were independent predictors of therapeutic sternotomy. Hemopericardium per se may be overly sensitive for diagnosing cardiac or great vessel injuries after chest trauma. Some stable blunt or penetrating trauma patients without continuing intrapericardial bleeding had nontherapeutic sternotomies, suggesting that this intervention could be avoided in selected cases. Therapeutic study, level III. Copyright © 2012 by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

  14. Pediatric chest CT after trauma: impact on surgical and clinical management

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Patel, Rina P.; Hernanz-Schulman, Marta; Hilmes, Melissa A.; Kan, J.H.; Yu, Chang; Ray, Jackie

    2010-01-01

    Chest CT after pediatric trauma is frequently performed but its clinical impact, particularly with respect to surgical intervention, has not been adequately evaluated. To assess the impact of chest CT compared with chest radiography on pediatric trauma management. Two hundred thirty-five consecutive pediatric trauma patients who had both chest CT and radiography were identified. Images were reviewed and findings were categorized and correlated with subsequent chest interventions, blinded to final outcome and management. Of the 235 children, 38.3% (90/235) had an abnormal chest radiograph and 63.8% (150/235) had an abnormal chest CT (P < 0.0001). Chest interventions followed in 4.7% (11/235); of these, the findings could be made 1 cm above the dome of the liver in 91% (10/11). Findings requiring chest intervention included pneumothorax (PTX) and vertebral fractures. PTX was found on 2.1% (5/235) of chest radiographs and 20.0% (47/235) of chest CTs (P < 0.0001); 1.7% (4/235) of the children received a chest tube for PTX, 0.85% (2/235) seen on chest CT only. Vertebral fractures were present in 3.8% of the children (9/235) and 66.7% (6/9) of those cases were treated with spinal fusion or brace. There were no instances of mediastinal vascular injury. Most intrathoracic findings requiring surgical management in our population were identified in the lower chest and would be included in routine abdominopelvic CT exams; this information needs to be taken into consideration in the diagnostic algorithm of pediatric trauma patients. (orig.)

  15. Pediatric chest CT after trauma: impact on surgical and clinical management

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Patel, Rina P. [Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN (United States); Hernanz-Schulman, Marta; Hilmes, Melissa A.; Kan, J.H. [Vanderbilt University, Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Vanderbilt Children' s Hospital, Nashville, TN (United States); Yu, Chang [Vanderbilt University, Department of Biostatistics, Nashville, TN (United States); Ray, Jackie [Vanderbilt University, Department of Pediatric Surgery, Vanderbilt Children' s Hospital, Nashville, TN (United States)

    2010-07-15

    Chest CT after pediatric trauma is frequently performed but its clinical impact, particularly with respect to surgical intervention, has not been adequately evaluated. To assess the impact of chest CT compared with chest radiography on pediatric trauma management. Two hundred thirty-five consecutive pediatric trauma patients who had both chest CT and radiography were identified. Images were reviewed and findings were categorized and correlated with subsequent chest interventions, blinded to final outcome and management. Of the 235 children, 38.3% (90/235) had an abnormal chest radiograph and 63.8% (150/235) had an abnormal chest CT (P < 0.0001). Chest interventions followed in 4.7% (11/235); of these, the findings could be made 1 cm above the dome of the liver in 91% (10/11). Findings requiring chest intervention included pneumothorax (PTX) and vertebral fractures. PTX was found on 2.1% (5/235) of chest radiographs and 20.0% (47/235) of chest CTs (P < 0.0001); 1.7% (4/235) of the children received a chest tube for PTX, 0.85% (2/235) seen on chest CT only. Vertebral fractures were present in 3.8% of the children (9/235) and 66.7% (6/9) of those cases were treated with spinal fusion or brace. There were no instances of mediastinal vascular injury. Most intrathoracic findings requiring surgical management in our population were identified in the lower chest and would be included in routine abdominopelvic CT exams; this information needs to be taken into consideration in the diagnostic algorithm of pediatric trauma patients. (orig.)

  16. Scapular Fractures in Blunt Chest Trauma – Self-Experience Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tabet A. Al-Sadek

    2016-11-01

    CONCLUSIONS:The study confirms the role of scapular fractures as a marker for the severity of the chest trauma (based on the number of associated thoracic injuries, but doesn’t present scapular fractures as an indicator for high mortality in blunt chest trauma patients.

  17. Primary Chest Wall Abscess Mimicking a Breast Tumor That Occurred after Blunt Chest Trauma: A Case Report

    Science.gov (United States)

    Masuda, Norikazu; Yasojima, Hiroyuki; Mizutani, Makiko; Nakamori, Shoji; Kanazawa, Toru; Kuriyama, Keiko; Mano, Masayuki; Sekimoto, Mitsugu

    2014-01-01

    Primary chest wall abscess occurring after blunt chest trauma is rare. We present the case of a 50-year-old woman who presented with a swelling in her left breast. The patient had experienced blunt chest trauma 2 months back. Needle aspiration revealed pus formation in the patient's chest. Computed tomography revealed a mass in the lower region of the left mammary gland, with thickening of the parietal pleura and skin and fracture of the fifth rib under the abscess. Following antibiotic administration and irrigation of the affected region, surgical debridement was performed. During surgery, we found that the pectoralis major muscle at the level of the fifth rib was markedly damaged, although the necrotic tissue did not contact the mammary gland. We diagnosed the lesion as a chest wall abscess that occurred in response to blunt chest trauma. Her postoperative course was uneventful. There has been no recurrence for six months after surgery. PMID:24660001

  18. Primary Chest Wall Abscess Mimicking a Breast Tumor That Occurred after Blunt Chest Trauma: A Case Report

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yusuke Yamaoka

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Primary chest wall abscess occurring after blunt chest trauma is rare. We present the case of a 50-year-old woman who presented with a swelling in her left breast. The patient had experienced blunt chest trauma 2 months back. Needle aspiration revealed pus formation in the patient’s chest. Computed tomography revealed a mass in the lower region of the left mammary gland, with thickening of the parietal pleura and skin and fracture of the fifth rib under the abscess. Following antibiotic administration and irrigation of the affected region, surgical debridement was performed. During surgery, we found that the pectoralis major muscle at the level of the fifth rib was markedly damaged, although the necrotic tissue did not contact the mammary gland. We diagnosed the lesion as a chest wall abscess that occurred in response to blunt chest trauma. Her postoperative course was uneventful. There has been no recurrence for six months after surgery.

  19. Imaging of blunt chest trauma; Bildgebung des stumpfen Thoraxtraumas

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Prosch, H. [Medizinische Universitaet Wien, Allgemeines Krankenhaus, Univ.-Klinik fuer Radiologie und Nuklearmedizin, Wien (Austria); Negrin, L. [Medizinische Universitaet Wien, Allgemeines Krankenhaus, Univ.-Klinik fuer Unfallchirurgie, Wien (Austria)

    2014-09-15

    Blunt chest trauma is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Consequently, all patients should be evaluated radiologically after blunt chest trauma to allow timely and appropriate treatment. Conventional chest radiographs and computed tomography (CT) are proven modalities with which to evaluate patients after blunt chest trauma. Over the last several years extended focused assessment with sonography for trauma (eFAST) has gained increasing importance for the initial assessment of seriously injured patients. In the acute phase of severely injured patients eFAST examinations are helpful to exclude pneumothorax, hemothorax and hemopericardium. Chest radiographs may also be used to diagnose a pneumothorax or hemothorax; however, the sensitivity is limited and CT is the diagnostic modality of choice to evaluate severely injured patients. (orig.) [German] Stumpfe Thoraxtraumen gehen mit einer hohen Morbiditaet und Mortalitaet einher. Daher sollten Patienten mit Verdacht auf ein stumpfes Thoraxtrauma rasch radiologisch untersucht werden, damit die entsprechenden therapeutischen Schritte zeitgerecht eingeleitet werden koennen. Zur Abklaerung von Patienten nach einem stumpfen Thoraxtrauma sind seit Jahren das konventionelle Lungenroentgen und die Computertomographie bewaehrte Verfahren. In den letzten Jahren hat die fokussierte Ultraschalluntersuchung (eFAST, Extended Focused Assessment with Sonography for Trauma) von schwerverletzten Patienten vermehrt an Bedeutung gewonnen. Durch eine eFAST-Untersuchung kann in der Akutphase rasch geklaert werden, ob bei dem Patienten ein therapiebeduerftiger Pneumothorax, Haematoperikard oder Haematothorax vorliegen. Auch das Lungenroentgen wird zur Diagnose eines Pneumothorax oder Haematothorax eingesetzt, wenngleich seine Sensitivitaet deutlich eingeschraenkt ist. Die CT ist das diagnostische Verfahren der Wahl, um v. a. Patienten mit einem schweren Thoraxtrauma abzuklaeren. (orig.)

  20. Myocardial contusion in patients with blunt chest trauma as evaluated by thallium 201 myocardial scintigraphy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bodin, L.; Rouby, J.J.; Viars, P.

    1988-01-01

    Fifty five patients suffering from blunt chest trauma were studied to assess the diagnosis of myocardial contusion using thallium 201 myocardial scintigraphy. Thirty-eight patients had consistent scintigraphic defects and were considered to have a myocardial contusion. All patients with scintigraphic defects had paroxysmal arrhythmias and/or ECG abnormalities. Of 38 patients, 32 had localized ST-T segment abnormalities; 29, ST-T segment abnormalities suggesting involvement of the same cardiac area as scintigraphic defects; 21, echocardiographic abnormalities. Sixteen patients had segmental hypokinesia involving the same cardiac area as the scintigraphic defects. Fifteen patients had clinical signs suggestive of myocardial contusion and scintigraphic defects. Almost 70 percent of patients with blunt chest trauma had scintigraphic defects related to areas of myocardial contusion. When thallium 201 myocardial scintigraphy directly showed myocardial lesion, two-dimensional echocardiography and standard ECG detected related functional consequences of cardiac trauma

  1. Radiological diagnosis and therapy of chest pain

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kutzner, J.; Ernst, H.

    1980-01-01

    The causes and localization of chest pain are numerous. They can derive from infections, traumas, or tumors. Possible sites of origin are: skeletal portions, vertebral column, ribs, and sternum, as well as mediastinum and pleura. In women, occurrence tends to be cyclic and affect the mamma region. Radiological diagnosis includes radiography, nuclear techniques as well as whole body computer-tomography. Radiation therapy is indicated in cases of mediastinal tumor formation. Radiation of painful osteolytic vertebral metastases and rib destructions proves to be an efficient palliative measure. (orig.) [de

  2. Tube thorocostomy: management and outcome in patients with penetrating chest trauma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Muslim, Muhammad; Bilal, Amer; Salim, Muhammad; Khan, Muhammad Abid; Baseer, Abdul; Ahmed, Manzoor

    2008-01-01

    Penetrating chest trauma is common in this part of the world due to present situation in tribal areas. The first line of management after resuscitation in these patients is tube thoracostomy combined with analgesia and incentive spirometry. After tube thoracostomy following surgery or trauma there are two schools of thought one favours application of continuous low pressure suction to the chest tubes beyond the water seal while other are against it. We studied the application of continuous low pressure suction in patients with penetrating chest trauma. This Randomized clinical controlled trial was conducted in the department of thoracic surgery Post Graduate Medical Institute Lady Reading Hospital Peshawar from July 2007 to March 2008. The objectives of study were to evaluate the effectiveness of continuous low pressure suction in patients with penetrating chest trauma for evacuation of blood, expansion of lung and prevention of clotted Haemothorax. One hundred patients who underwent tube thoracostomy after penetrating chest trauma from fire arm injury or stab wounds were included in the study. Patients with multiple trauma, blunt chest trauma and those intubated for any pulmonary or pleural disease were excluded from the study. After resuscitation, detailed examination and necessary investigations patients were randomized to two groups. Group I included patients who had continuous low pressure suction applied to their chest drains. Group II included those patients whose chest drains were placed on water seal only. Lung expansion development of pneumothorax or clotted Haemothorax, time to removal of chest drain and hospital stay was noted in each group. There were fifty patients in each group. The two groups were not significantly different from each other regarding age, sex, pre-intubation haemoglobin and pre intubation nutritional status. Full lung expansion was achieved in forty six (92%) patients in group I and thirty seven (74%) in group II. Partial lung

  3. Determinants of Mortality in Chest Trauma Patients | Ekpe | Nigerian ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Background: Chest trauma is an important trauma globally accounting for about 10% of trauma admission and 25‑50% of trauma death. Different types and severity of ... Data were collected and were analyzed using WINPEPI Stone Mountain, Georgia: USD Inc; 1995 statistical software. Results: A total 149 patients with ...

  4. THE DEADLY DOZEN OF CHEST TRAUMA

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Enrique

    specialised surgical intervention; probably the most common presentation is related .... failure. Operation is another treatment option for flail chest, after having been discarded in the ... physiologically unstable due to trauma in other anatomical ...

  5. Determinants of Mortality in Chest Trauma Patients

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    10% of trauma admissions.[1,2] In the United States it is estimated at 12 out of 1 million population per day.[3] Furthermore chest injury is still directly responsible for about 25% of trauma‑related deaths and contribute to death in another 25% of trauma‑related deaths.[1,2,4] Therefore, chest injury directly and indirectly ...

  6. Radiodiagnosis of pulmonary lesions in a severe closed chest trauma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kishkovskij, A.N.; Tyutin, L.A.; Savchenko, B.K.

    1986-01-01

    The results of X-ray examination of 548 persons with a severe closed chest trauma were summed up. Urgent chest X-ray examination included panoramic roentgenography or electroroentgenography of the chest in two projections performed mostly in a special wheelchair without resetting and turning the patients. Dynamic X-ray control was used afterwards. Pulmonary lesions developed most frequently in a closed chest trauma. Roentgenosemiotics of lung contusion was characterized by a variety of symptoms and determined by the nature of a contusion syndrome. Infiltrate like, cavitary, miliary and peribronchial forms of lung contusion should be distinguished by an X-ray picture. In lung rupture, pneumothorax was detected in 33%, pneumohemothorax in 56%, emphysema of the chest soft tissues in 28%, mediastinal emphysema in 4% of the cases

  7. Spontaneous Recanalization of the Obstructed Right Coronary Artery Caused by Blunt Chest Trauma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haraguchi, Yumiko; Sakakura, Kenichi; Yamamoto, Kei; Taniguchi, Yousuke; Nakashima, Ikue; Wada, Hiroshi; Sanui, Masamitsu; Momomura, Shin-Ichi; Fujita, Hideo

    2018-03-30

    Blunt chest trauma can cause a wide variety of injuries including acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Although AMI due to coronary artery dissection caused by blunt chest trauma is very rare, it is associated with high morbidity and mortality. In the vast majority of patients with AMI, primary percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) are performed to recanalize obstructed arteries, but PCI carries a substantial risk of hemorrhagic complications in the acute phase of trauma. We report a case of AMI due to right coronary artery (RCA) dissection caused by blunt chest trauma. The totally obstructed RCA was spontaneously recanalized with medical therapy. We could avoid primary PCI in the acute phase of blunt chest trauma because electrocardiogram showed early reperfusion signs. We performed an elective PCI in the subacute phase when the risk of bleeding subsided. Since the risk of severe hemorrhagic complications is greater in the acute phase of blunt chest trauma as compared with the late phase, deferring emergency PCI is reasonable if signs of recanalization are observed.

  8. Utility of extended FAST in blunt chest trauma: is it the time to be used in the ATLS algorithm?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abdulrahman, Yassir; Musthafa, Shameel; Hakim, Suhail Y; Nabir, Syed; Qanbar, Ahad; Mahmood, Ismail; Siddiqui, Tariq; Hussein, Wafaa A; Ali, Hazim H; Afifi, Ibrahim; El-Menyar, Ayman; Al-Thani, Hassan

    2015-01-01

    The clinical significance of extended Focused Assessment with Sonography for Trauma (EFAST) for diagnosis of pneumothorax is not well defined. To investigate the utility of EFAST in blunt chest trauma (BCT) patients. A single blinded, prospective study. All patients admitted with BCT (2011-2013). Level 1 trauma center in Qatar. Patients were screened by EFAST and results were compared to the clinical examination (CE) and chest X-ray (CXR). Chest-computed tomography (CT) scoring system was used to confirm and measure the pneumothorax. Diagnostic accuracy of diagnostic modalities of pneumothorax was measured using sensitivity, specificity, predictive values (PVs), and likelihood ratio. A total of 305 BCT patients were included with median age of 34 (18-75). Chest CT was positive for pneumothorax in 75 (24.6 %) cases; of which 11 % had bilateral pneumothorax. Chest CT confirmed the diagnosis of pneumothorax in 43, 41, and 11 % of those who were initially diagnosed by EFAST, CE, and CXR, respectively. EFAST was positive in 42 hemithoraces and its sensitivity (43 %) was higher in comparison to CXR (11 %). Positive and negative PVs of EFAST were 76 and 92 %, respectively. The frequency of missed cases by CXR was higher in comparison to EFAST and CE. The lowest median score of missed pneumothorax was observed by EFAST. EFAST can be used as an efficient triaging tool in BCT patients to rule out pneumothorax. Based on our analysis, we would recommend EFAST as an adjunct in ATLS algorithm.

  9. Prior blunt chest trauma may be a cause of single vessel coronary disease; hypothesis and review

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bartels, Mette Damkjær; Nielsen, PE; Sleight, P

    2006-01-01

    Prompted by a case where a patient (with no risk factors, and single vessel disease) developed angina pectoris after previous blunt chest trauma, we searched Medline for blunt chest trauma and myocardial ischaemia. We found 77 cases describing AMI after blunt chest trauma, but only one reporting...... angina pectoris. We focused on the age and sex distribution, type of trauma, the angiography findings and the time interval between the trauma and the angiography. The age distribution was atypical, compared to AMI in general; 82% of the patients with AMI after blunt chest trauma were less than 45 years......, which strongly suggested a causal relation between the trauma and subsequent occlusion. AMI should therefore be considered in patients suffering from chest pain after blunt chest trauma. Because traumatic AMI might often be the result of an intimal tear or dissection, thrombolytic therapy might worsen...

  10. Radiological diagnosis of chest wall tuberculosis: CT versus chest radiograph

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu Fugeng; Pan Jishu; Chen Qihang; Zhou Cheng; Yu Jingying; Tang Dairong

    2006-01-01

    Objective: To evaluate the role of CT or Chest radiograph in diagnosis of chest wall tuberculosis. Methods: The study population included 21 patients with chest wall tuberculosis confirmed by operation or biopsy. Chest radiograph and plain CT were performed in all eases, while enhanced CT in 9 cases, and all images were reviewed by 2 radiologists. Results: Single soft tissue mass of the chest wall was detected in all cases on CT, but not on chest radiograph(χ 2 =42.000, P 2 =4.421, P<0.05). Conclusion: CT, especially enhanced CT scan is the first choice in the diagnosis of chest wall tuberculosis. (authors)

  11. Imaging of chest trauma: radiological patterns of injury and diagnostic algorithms

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lomoschitz, Fritz M.; Eisenhuber, Edith; Linnau, Ken F.; Peloschek, Philipp; Schoder, Maria; Bankier, Alexander A.

    2003-01-01

    In patients after chest trauma, imaging plays a key role for both, the primary diagnostic work-up, and the secondary assessment of potential treatment. Despite its well-known limitations, the anteroposterior chest radiograph remains the starting point of the imaging work-up. Adjunctive imaging with computed tomography, that recently is increasingly often performed on multidetector computed tomography units, adds essential information not readily available on the conventional radiograph. This allows better definition of trauma-associated thoracic injuries not only in acute traumatic aortic injury, but also in pulmonary, tracheobronchial, cardiac, diaphragmal, and thoracic skeletal injuries. This article reviews common radiographic findings in patients after chest trauma, shows typical imaging features resulting from thoracic injury, presents imaging algorithms, and recalls to the reader less common but clinically relevant entities encountered in patients after thoracic trauma

  12. Predictors of abnormal chest CT after blunt trauma: a critical appraisal of the literature

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brink, M.; Kool, D.R.; Dekker, H.M.; Deunk, J.; Jager, G.J.; Kuijk, C. van; Edwards, M.J.R.; Blickman, J.G.

    2009-01-01

    Aim: To identify and to evaluate predictors that determine whether chest computed tomography (CT) is likely to reveal relevant injuries in adult blunt trauma patients. Methods: After a comprehensive literature search for original studies on blunt chest injury diagnosis, two independent observers included studies on the accuracy of parameters derived from history, physical examination, or diagnostic imaging that might predict injuries at (multidetector row) CT in adults and that allowed construction of 2 x 2 contingency tables. For each article, methodological quality was scored and relevant predictors for injuries at CT were extracted. For each predictor, sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative likelihood ratio and diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) including 95% confidence intervals were calculated. Results: Of 147 articles initially identified, the observers included 10 original studies in consensus. Abnormalities at physical examination (abnormal respiratory effort, need for assisted ventilation, reduced airentry, coma, chest wall tenderness) and pelvic fractures were significant predictors (DOR: 2.1-6.7). The presence of any injuries at conventional radiography of the chest (eight articles) was a more powerful significant predictor (DOR: 2.2-37). Abnormal chest ultrasonography (four articles) was the most accurate predictor for chest injury at CT (DOR: 491-infinite). Conclusion: The current literature indicates that in blunt trauma patients with abnormal physical examination, abnormal conventional radiography, or abnormal ultrasonography of the chest, CT was likely to reveal relevant chest injuries. However, there was no strong evidence to suggest that CT could be omitted in patients without these criteria, or whether these findings are beneficial for patients

  13. Computed tomography of chest trauma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dinkel, E.; Uhl, H.; Reinbold, W.D.; Wimmer, B.; Wenz, W.

    1987-01-01

    Chest CT scans were obtained in 86 patients suffering from serious blunt or penetrating chest trauma. The finding of mediastinal widening was by far the most common CT indication. CT proved to be a more sensitive method for detection of parenchymal lung lesions and occult pneumothorax than bedside radiographs. CT contributed substantially in differentiation of lung abscess and empyema, exclusion of mediastinal pathology and spinal injuries. Aortography is still indicated, even when CT findings are normal, if aortic laceration is clinically suspected. Despite all technical problems combined with CT examinations in the critically ill patient, we consider CT a valuable diagnostic tool for selected problems in the traumatized patient. (orig.) [de

  14. Computed tomography of chest trauma

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dinkel, E.; Uhl, H.; Reinbold, W.D.; Wimmer, B.; Wenz, W.

    1987-09-01

    Chest CT scans were obtained in 86 patients suffering from serious blunt or penetrating chest trauma. The finding of mediastinal widening was by far the most common CT indication. CT proved to be a more sensitive method for detection of parenchymal lung lesions and occult pneumothorax than bedside radiographs. CT contributed substantially in differentiation of lung abscess and empyema, exclusion of mediastinal pathology and spinal injuries. Aortography is still indicated, even when CT findings are normal, if aortic laceration is clinically suspected. Despite all technical problems combined with CT examinations in the critically ill patient, we consider CT a valuable diagnostic tool for selected problems in the traumatized patient.

  15. Emergency management of blunt chest trauma in children: an evidence-based approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pauzé, Denis R; Pauzé, Daniel K

    2013-11-01

    Pediatric trauma is commonly encountered in the emergency department, and trauma to the head, chest, and abdomen may be a source of significant morbidity and mortality. As children have unique thoracic anatomical and physiological properties, they may present with diagnostic challenges that the emergency clinician must be aware of. This review examines the effects of blunt trauma to the pediatric chest, as well as its relevant etiologies and associated mortality. Diagnostic and treatment options for commonly encountered injuries such as pulmonary contusions, rib fractures, and pneumothoraces are examined. Additionally, this review discusses rarely encountered--yet highly lethal--chest wall injuries such as blunt cardiac injuries, commotio cordis, nonaccidental trauma, and aortic injuries.

  16. Chest Trauma in Athletic Medicine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Phillips, Nicholas R; Kunz, Derek E

    2018-03-01

    While overall sports participation continues at high rates, chest injuries occur relatively infrequently. Many conditions of chest injury are benign, related to simple contusions and strains, but the more rare, severe injuries carry a much higher risk of morbidity and mortality than the typical issues encountered in athletic medicine. Missed or delayed diagnosis can prove to be catastrophic. Sports medicine providers must be prepared to encounter a wide range of traumatic conditions relating to the torso, varying from the benign chest wall contusion to the life-threatening tension pneumothorax. Basic field-side management should be rapid and focused, using the standardized approach of Advanced Traumatic Life Support protocol. Early and appropriate diagnosis and management can help allow safe and enjoyable sports participation.

  17. Spiral CT for evaluation of chest trauma; Spiral-CT beim Thoraxtrauma

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Roehnert, W. [Universitaetsklinikum Dresden (Germany). Inst. und Poliklinik fuer Radiologische Diagnostik; Weise, R. [Universitaetsklinikum Dresden (Germany). Inst. und Poliklinik fuer Radiologische Diagnostik

    1997-07-01

    After implementation of spiral CT in our department, we carried out an analysis for determining anew the value of CT as a modality of chest trauma diagnosis in the emergency department. The retrospective study covers a period of 10 months and all emergency patients with chest trauma exmined by spiral CT. The major lesions of varying seriousness covered by this study are: pneumothorax, hematothorax, pulmonary contusion or laceration, mediastinal hematoma, rupture of a vessel, injury of the heart and pericardium. The various fractures are not included in this study. In many cases, spiral CT within relatively short time yields significant diagnostic findings, frequently saving additional angiography. A rigid diagnostic procedure cannot be formulated. Plain-film chest radiography still remains a diagnostic modality of high value. (Orig.) [Deutsch] Nach Einfuehrung der Spiral-CT in unserer Einrichtung versuchten wir, den Stellenwert der Computertomographie in der Notfalldiagnostik des Thoraxtraumas neu zu bestimmen. Dazu wurden retrospektiv ueber einen Zeitraum von 10 Monaten alle mittels Spiral-CT untersuchten Notfallpatienten mit Thoraxverletzungen ausgewertet. Im Vordergrund standen folgende Befunde unterschiedlichen Schweregrades: Pneumothorax, Haematothorax, Lungenkontusion/-lazeration, Mediastinalhaematom, Gefaessruptur, Herz- und Herzbeutelverletzung. Auf die unterschiedlichen Frakturen wird bewusst nicht naeher eingegangen. In vielen Faellen liefert die Spiral-CT mit relativ geringem Zeitaufwand wesentliche diagnostische Aussagen. Haeufig kann auf eine Angiographie verzichtet werden. Ein starres diagnostisches Stufenschema laesst sich nicht definieren. Die Thoraxuebersichtsaufnahme besitzt einen unveraendert hohen Stellenwert. (orig.)

  18. Scapular Fractures in Blunt Chest Trauma – Self-Experience Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al-Sadek, Tabet A.; Niklev, Desislav; Al-Sadek, Ahmed; Al-Sadek, Lina

    2016-01-01

    AIM: The aim of this retrospective study was to report the scapular fractures in patients with blunt chest trauma and to present the type and the frequency of associated thoracic injuries. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Nine patients with fractures of the scapula were included in the study. The mechanisms of the injury, the type of scapular fractures and associated thoracic injuries were analysed. RESULTS: Scapular fractures were caused by high-energy blunt chest trauma. The body of the scapula was fractured in all scapular fractures. In all cases, scapular fractures were associated with other thoracic injuries (average 3.25/per case). Rib fractures were present in eight patients, fractured clavicula - in four cases, the affection of pleural cavity - in eight of the patients and pulmonary contusion in all nine cases. Eight patients were discharged from the hospital up to the 15th day. One patient had died on the 3rd day because of postconcussional lung oedema. CONCLUSIONS: The study confirms the role of scapular fractures as a marker for the severity of the chest trauma (based on the number of associated thoracic injuries), but doesn’t present scapular fractures as an indicator for high mortality in blunt chest trauma patients. PMID:28028415

  19. Delayed cardiac tamponade in a patient with previous minor blunt chest trauma

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hermens, Jeannine A.J.M.; Wajon, Elly M.C.J.; Grandjean, Jan G; Grandjean, Jan G.; Haalebos, Max M.P.; von Birgelen, Clemens

    2009-01-01

    Hemopericardium with cardiac tamponade after non-penetrating chest trauma is a very rare but life-threatening condition. If this complication develops after an interval of several weeks following the non-penetrating chest trauma, the causal relation with the traumatic event is less evident, which

  20. Radiology of blunt chest trauma

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shulman, H.S.; Samuels, T.H. (Sunnybrook Medical Centre, Toronto, Ontario (Canada))

    1983-09-01

    Chest injuries and related complications prove fatal in over half of the victims of multiple trauma. The radiologist's responsibility is twofold: a) to recognize key radiographic signs and b) to guide the clinician in the radiologic investigation and management of the patient. The important diagnoses to be recognized from radiographs are pneumothorax, aortic rupture, bronhcial rupture and diaphragmatic rupture.

  1. Rib Radiography versus Chest Computed Tomography in the Diagnosis of Rib Fractures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sano, Atsushi

    2018-05-01

     The accurate diagnosis of rib fractures is important in chest trauma. Diagnostic images following chest trauma are usually obtained via chest X-ray, chest computed tomography, or rib radiography. This study evaluated the diagnostic characteristics of rib radiography and chest computed tomography.  Seventy-five rib fracture patients who underwent both chest computed tomography and rib radiography between April 2008 and December 2013 were included. Rib radiographs, centered on the site of pain, were taken from two directions. Chest computed tomography was performed using a 16-row multidetector scanner with 5-mm slice-pitch without overlap, and axial images were visualized in a bone window.  In total, 217 rib fractures were diagnosed in 75 patients. Rib radiography missed 43 rib fractures in 24 patients. The causes were overlap with organs in 15 cases, trivial fractures in 21 cases, and injury outside the imaging range in 7 cases. Left lower rib fractures were often missed due to overlap with the heart, while middle and lower rib fractures were frequently not diagnosed due to overlap with abdominal organs. Computed tomography missed 21 rib fractures in 17 patients. The causes were horizontal fractures in 10 cases, trivial fractures in 9 cases, and insufficient breath holding in 1 case.  In rib radiography, overlap with organs and fractures outside the imaging range were characteristic reasons for missed diagnoses. In chest computed tomography, horizontal rib fractures and insufficient breath holding were often responsible. We should take these challenges into account when diagnosing rib fractures. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

  2. Predictors of chest drainage complications in trauma patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    CECÍLIA ARAÚJO MENDES

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT Objective: to identify predictors of chest drainage complications in trauma patients attended at a University Hospital. Methods: we conducted a retrospective study of 68 patients submitted to thoracic drainage after trauma, in a one-year period. We analyzed gender, age, trauma mechanism, trauma indices, thoracic and associated lesions, environment in which the procedure was performed, drainage time, experience of the performer, complications and evolution. Results: the mean age of the patients was 35 years and the male gender was the most prevalent (89%. Blunt trauma was the most frequent, with 67% of cases, and of these, 50% were due to traffic accidents. The mean TRISS (Trauma and Injury Severity Score was 98, with a mortality rate of 1.4%. The most frequent thoracic and associated lesions were, respectively, rib fractures (51% and abdominal trauma (32%. The mean drainage time was 6.93 days, being higher in patients under mechanical ventilation (p=0.0163. The complication rate was 26.5%, mainly poor drain positioning (11.77%. Hospital drainage was performed in 89% of cases by doctors in the first year of specialization. Thoracic drainage performed in prehospital care presented nine times more chances of complications (p=0.0015. Conclusion: the predictors of post-trauma complications for chest drainage were a procedure performed in an adverse site and mechanical ventilation. The high rate of complications demonstrates the importance of protocols of care with the thoracic drainage.

  3. Anteroposterior chest radiograph vs. chest CT scan in early detection of pneumothorax in trauma patients

    OpenAIRE

    Omar, Hesham R; Mangar, Devanand; Khetarpal, Suneel; Shapiro, David H; Kolla, Jaya; Rashad, Rania; Helal, Engy; Camporesi, Enrico M

    2011-01-01

    Abstract Pneumothorax is a common complication following blunt chest wall trauma. In these patients, because of the restrictions regarding immobilization of the cervical spine, Anteroposterior (AP) chest radiograph is usually the most feasible initial study which is not as sensitive as the erect chest X-ray or CT chest for detection of a pneumothorax. We will present 3 case reports which serve for better understanding of the entity of occult pneumothorax. The first case is an example of a tru...

  4. Pectus excavatum in blunt chest trauma: a case report

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Liodakis Emmanouil

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Introduction Blunt cardiac rupture is an exceedingly rare injury. Case presentation We report a case of blunt cardiac trauma in a 43-year-old Caucasian German mother with pectus excavatum who presented after a car accident in which she had been sitting in the front seat holding her two-year-old boy in her arms. The mother was awake and alert during the initial two hours after the accident but then proceeded to hemodynamically collapse. The child did not sustain any severe injuries. Intraoperatively, a combined one-cm laceration of the left atrium and right ventricle was found. Conclusion Patients with pectus excavatum have an increased risk for cardiac rupture after blunt chest trauma because of compression between the sternum and spine. Therefore, patients with pectus excavatum and blunt chest trauma should be admitted to a Level I Trauma Center with a high degree of suspicion.

  5. Blunt chest trauma in a non-specialist centre: Right treatment, right place?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maher, Lesley; Jayathissa, Sisira

    2016-12-01

    To compare patient characteristics, management and outcomes for patients admitted with isolated blunt chest trauma, managed by medical or surgical teams. We reviewed adult patients admitted with blunt chest trauma between 1 September 2006 and 31 August 2011 to a secondary hospital in New Zealand. Inclusion criteria were: blunt chest trauma, with at least one radiologically demonstrated rib fracture. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality, and secondary outcomes were development of pneumonia, and use of analgesia. Seventy-two patients were included. Thirty-three patients were managed by medical teams and 39 by surgical teams. In-hospital mortality was greater amongst medical patients 5/33 (15%) versus surgical 0/39 (0%); P = 0.012. Pneumonia occurred in 15/33 (45%); medical patients versus surgical 2/39 (5%), P trauma fall compared to surgically managed patients (28/33 [85%] vs 9/39 [27%]; P chest trauma, those managed by medical teams were older, had more comorbidities and were more likely to have become injured with a low trauma fall than those managed by surgical teams. They had less access to analgesic options, developed pneumonia more often and had higher mortality. © 2016 Australasian College for Emergency Medicine and Australasian Society for Emergency Medicine.

  6. Rib fractures in blunt chest trauma - associated thoracic injuries

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    Iv. Dimitrov

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available PURPOSE. The aim of our retrospective study was to analyze the patterns of associated thoracic injuries in patients underwent blunt chest trauma and rib fractures. METHODS. The study included 212 patients with rib fractures due to blunt thoracic trauma. The mechanism of trauma, the type of rib fracture and the type of associated injuries were analyzed. RESULTS. The patients were divided in two groups according to the number of fractured ribs-group I included the patients with up to two fractured ribs (72 patients-33,9%, and group II – with ≥3 fractured ribs (140 patients-66,1%. Associated chest injuries were present in 36 of the patients from group I (50%, and in 133 patients from group II (95%. Pulmonary contusion was the most common intrathoracicinjurie-65,6% of the cases. The mean hospital stay was 8, 7 days. The lethality rate was 16,9% -all of them due to the associated chest injuries. CONCLUSIONS. The mortality related to rib fractures is affected by the associated thoracic injuries, the advanced age, and the number of fractured ribs.

  7. Failure rate of prehospital chest decompression after severe thoracic trauma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaserer, Alexander; Stein, Philipp; Simmen, Hans-Peter; Spahn, Donat R; Neuhaus, Valentin

    2017-03-01

    Chest decompression can be performed by different techniques, like needle thoracocentesis (NT), lateral thoracostomy (LT), or tube thoracostomy (TT). The aim of this study was to report the incidence of prehospital chest decompression and to analyse the effectiveness of these techniques. In this retrospective case series study, all medical records of adult trauma patients undergoing prehospital chest decompression and admitted to the resuscitation area of a level-1 trauma center between 2009 and 2015 were reviewed and analysed. Only descriptive statistics were applied. In a 6-year period 24 of 2261 (1.1%) trauma patients had prehospital chest decompression. Seventeen patients had NT, six patients TT, one patient NT as well as TT, and no patients had LT. Prehospital successful release of a tension pneumothorax was reported by the paramedics in 83% (5/6) with TT, whereas NT was effective in 18% only (3/17). In five CT scans all thoracocentesis needles were either removed or extrapleural, one patient had a tension pneumothorax, and two patients had no pneumothorax. No NT or TT related complications were reported during hospitalization. Prehospital NT or TT is infrequently attempted in trauma patients. Especially NT is associated with a high failure rate of more than 80%, potentially due to an inadequate ratio between chest wall thickness and catheter length as previously published as well as a possible different pathophysiological cause of respiratory distress. Therefore, TT may be considered already in the prehospital setting to retain sufficient pleural decompression upon admission. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  8. Analysis the findings of chest radiograph and CT scan in 217 acute thoracic trauma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Huang Shaoying

    2005-01-01

    Objective: To evaluate chest radiograph and CT scan in assessing acute thoracic trauma. Methods: Retrospectively analyzed the findings of chest radiograph and CT scan in 217 cases of acute thoracic trauma and positive rate of each modality was compared. Results: The positive rate of rib and clavicle fracture was higher in chest radiograph than these in CT scan. But the positive rate of chest wall hematoma, mediastinum and subcutaneous emphysema, pneumothorax, hydropneumothorax, damage of lung parenchyma and traumatic pulmonary atelectasis was higher in CT scan than those in chest radiograph. Conclusion: The application of the combined imaging modalities improves assessing of acute thoracic trauma, because the imaging manifestation of the lesion is various. (authors)

  9. Thoracic Trauma: Which Chest Tube When and Where?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Molnar, Tamas F

    2017-02-01

    Clinical suspicion of hemo/pneumothorax: when in doubt, drain the chest. Stable chest trauma with hemo/pneumothorax: drain and wait. Unstable patient with dislocated trachea must be approached with drain in hand and scalpel ready. Massive hemo/pneumothorax may be controlled by drainage alone. The surgeon should not hesitate to open the chest if too much blood drains over a short period. The chest drainage procedure does not end with the last stitch; the second half of the match is still ahead. The drained patient is in need of physiotherapy and proper pain relief with an extended pleural space: control the suction system. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Developing risk factors for post traumatic empyema in patients with chest trauma

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Mara del Pilar Quiroga; Jos Daniel Charry; Nicols Becerra; Juan Camilo Garcia; Eliana Karina Muoz; Rodrigo Lara

    2015-01-01

    Objective:To establish the risk factors associated to development of empyema posttraumatic in patients with chest trauma managed with closed thoracostomy. Methods: It was a descriptive and observational study of patients with chest trauma who were admitted between January 2013 and May 2014. The variables were evaluated and the results according to management with closed thoracostomy in patients with thoracic trauma was determined. Univariate analysis was performed and measures of central tendency were calculated. Results: In total 240 patients were analyzed. Among them, 10.4% (25) developed posttraumatic empyema. In patients who developed empyema, the mean age was 34.2 years, and the mean injury severity score was 20.6. It was identified as a risk factor closed chest trauma in 68%(17) and 84%coagulated hemothorax trauma. Empyema management thoracoscopy was in 100%of cases. Conclusions: The posttraumatic empyema is a complication that occurs in patients with thoracic trauma. One of the most important risk factors is coagulated hemothorax which could be identified and treated in time to avoid comorbidities during hospital stay.

  11. Cardiac and great vessel injuries after chest trauma: our 10-year experience.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Onan, Burak; Demirhan, Recep; Öz, Kürşad; Onan, Ismihan Selen

    2011-09-01

    Cardiovascular injuries after trauma present with high mortality. The aim of the study was to present our experience in cardiac and great vessel injuries after chest trauma. During the 10-year period, 104 patients with cardiac (n=94) and great vessel (n=10) injuries presented to our hospital. The demographic data, mechanism of injury, location of injury, other associated injuries, timing of surgical intervention, surgical approach, and clinical outcome were reviewed. Eighty-eight (84.6%) males presented after chest trauma. The mean age of the patients was 32.5±8.2 years (range: 12-76). Penetrating injuries (62.5%) were the most common cause of trauma. Computed tomography was performed in most cases and echocardiography was used in some stable cases. Cardiac injuries mostly included the right ventricle (58.5%). Great vessel injuries involved the subclavian vein in 6, innominate vein in 1, vena cava in 1, and descending aorta in 2 patients. Early operations after admission to the emergency were performed in 75.9% of the patients. Thoracotomy was performed in 89.5% of the patients. Operative mortality was significantly high in penetrating injuries (p=0.01). Clinicians should suspect cardiac and great vessel trauma in every patient presenting to the emergency unit after chest trauma. Computed tomography and echocardiography are beneficial in the management of chest trauma. Operative timing depends on hemodynamic status, and a multidisciplinary team approach improves the patient's prognosis.

  12. Criteria for the selective use of chest computed tomography in blunt trauma patients

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brink, Monique; Dekker, Helena M.; Kool, Digna R.; Blickman, Johan G.; Deunk, Jaap; Edwards, Michael J.R.; Vugt, Arie B. van; Kuijk, Cornelis van

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to derive parameters that predict which high-energy blunt trauma patients should undergo computed tomography (CT) for detection of chest injury. This observational study prospectively included consecutive patients (≥16 years old) who underwent multidetector CT of the chest after a high-energy mechanism of blunt trauma in one trauma centre. We included 1,047 patients (median age, 37; 70% male), of whom 508 had chest injuries identified by CT. Using logistic regression, we identified nine predictors of chest injury presence on CT (age ≥55 years, abnormal chest physical examination, altered sensorium, abnormal thoracic spine physical examination, abnormal chest conventional radiography (CR), abnormal thoracic spine CR, abnormal pelvic CR or abdominal ultrasound, base excess <-3 mmol/l and haemoglobin <6 mmol/l). Of 855 patients with ≥1 positive predictors, 484 had injury on CT (95% of all 508 patients with injury). Of all 192 patients with no positive predictor, 24 (13%) had chest injury, of whom 4 (2%) had injuries that were considered clinically relevant. Omission of CT in patients without any positive predictor could reduce imaging frequency by 18%, while most clinically relevant chest injuries remain adequately detected. (orig.)

  13. Criteria for the selective use of chest computed tomography in blunt trauma patients

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Brink, Monique; Dekker, Helena M.; Kool, Digna R.; Blickman, Johan G. [Radboud University Nijmegen, Medical Centre, Department of Radiology, Nijmegen (Netherlands); Deunk, Jaap; Edwards, Michael J.R. [Radboud University Nijmegen, Medical Centre, Department of Surgery, Nijmegen (Netherlands); Vugt, Arie B. van [Radboud University Nijmegen, Medical Centre Nijmegen, Department of Emergency Medicine, Nijmegen (Netherlands); Kuijk, Cornelis van [VU (Vrije Universiteit) University, Medical Center Amsterdam, Department of Radiology, Amsterdam (Netherlands)

    2010-04-15

    The purpose of this study was to derive parameters that predict which high-energy blunt trauma patients should undergo computed tomography (CT) for detection of chest injury. This observational study prospectively included consecutive patients ({>=}16 years old) who underwent multidetector CT of the chest after a high-energy mechanism of blunt trauma in one trauma centre. We included 1,047 patients (median age, 37; 70% male), of whom 508 had chest injuries identified by CT. Using logistic regression, we identified nine predictors of chest injury presence on CT (age {>=}55 years, abnormal chest physical examination, altered sensorium, abnormal thoracic spine physical examination, abnormal chest conventional radiography (CR), abnormal thoracic spine CR, abnormal pelvic CR or abdominal ultrasound, base excess <-3 mmol/l and haemoglobin <6 mmol/l). Of 855 patients with {>=}1 positive predictors, 484 had injury on CT (95% of all 508 patients with injury). Of all 192 patients with no positive predictor, 24 (13%) had chest injury, of whom 4 (2%) had injuries that were considered clinically relevant. Omission of CT in patients without any positive predictor could reduce imaging frequency by 18%, while most clinically relevant chest injuries remain adequately detected. (orig.)

  14. Non-Invasive Mechanic Ventilation Using in Flail Chest, Caused By Blunt Chest Trauma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Serdar Onat

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available A 75-year-old woman admitted our faculty emergency room with shortness of breath, and chest pain after traffic accident’s second hour. She was diagnosed as bilateral multipl rib fractures, left clavicula fracture, and left flail chest by phsical and radiological examinations. She was transfered to Chest Surgery Depatment’s intensive care unit. The patient was undergone non-invasive mask mechanic ventilation support, because of the decreasing of blood oxygen saturation and increasing of arteriel blood partial carbondioxide pressure. The treatment of non-invasive mechanic ventilation was succesfull for ventilation support. With this report, we would like to attentioned that non-invasive mechanic ventilation for blunt chest trauma patients could be used succesfully and could be used instead of endotracheal invasive mechanic ventilation.

  15. The radiology of blunt chest trauma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shulman, H.S.; Samuels, T.H.

    1983-01-01

    Chest injuries and related complications prove fatal in over half of the victims of multiple trauma. The radiologist's responsibility is twofold: a) to recognize key radiographic signs and b) to guide the clinician in the radiologic investigation and management of the patient. The important diagnoses to be recognized from radiographs are pneumothorax, aortic rupture, bronhcial rupture and diaphragmatic rupture

  16. Challenges in management of pediatric life-threatening neck and chest trauma

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    Shilpa Sharma

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Neck and thoracic trauma in children pose unforeseen challenges requiring variable management strategies. Here, we describe some unusual cases. Patients and Methods: Pediatric cases of unusual neck and thoracic trauma prospectively managed from April 2012 to March 2014 at a Level 1 trauma center were studied for management strategies, outcome, and follow-up. Results: Six children with a median age of 5.5 (range 2–10 years were managed. Mechanism of injury was road traffic accident, fall from height and other accidental injury in 2, 3 and 1 patient respectively. The presentation was respiratory distress and quadriplegia, exposed heart, penetrating injury in neck, dysphagia and dyspnea, and swelling over the chest wall in 1, 1, 1, 2 and 1 cases respectively. Injuries included lung laceration, open chest wall, vascular injury of the neck, tracheoesophageal fistula (2, and chest wall posttraumatic pyomyositis. One patient had a flare of miliary tuberculosis. Immediate management included chest wall repair; neck exploration and repair, esophagostomy, gastroesophageal stapling, and feeding jejunostomy (followed by gastric pull-up 8 months later. Chest tube insertion and total parenteral nutrition was required in one each. 2 and 4 patients required tracheostomy and mechanical ventilation. The patient with gastric pull-up developed a stricture of the esophagogastric anastomosis that was revised at 26-month follow-up. At follow-up of 40–61 months, five patients are well. One patient with penetrating neck injury suffered from blindness due to massive hemorrhage from the vascular injury in the neck and brain ischemia with only peripheral vision recovery. Conclusion: Successful management of neck and chest wall trauma requires timely appropriate decisions with a team effort.

  17. Profile of thoracic trauma victims submitted to chest drainage

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    CESAR AUGUSTO BROSKA JÚNIOR

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT Objective: to describe and compare the variables involved in trauma victims undergoing thoracic drainage. Methods: we conducted a retrospective, analytical, descriptive, cross-sectional study, with medical records of patients attended at the Trauma Service of the Curitiba Evangelical University Hospital between February 2011 and January 2014. Results: there were 488 patients undergoing chest drainage, 84.7% men and 15.3% women, with an average age of 38.2 years. Attendances usually occurred at night, without predominance between open or closed mechanism, gender or age group. The majority of patients with thoracic trauma requiring drainage were diagnosed by anamnesis and physical examination (41.1% and drained in the emergency room (80.8%. Most of the patients (66.2% had another associated lesion, mostly some abdominal viscera. Complications were present in 16.6% (81 patients, most of them due to drainage positioning error (9.2%. The mean hospital stay was 15 days and drainage lasted for an average of 8.1 days, with no statistical difference between open and closed trauma. The clinical outcome was discharge in most cases. Conclusion: the profile of patients with thoracic trauma is that of young men, attended at night, with some other associated lesion. Although diagnosis and treatment were rapid and most often without the need for complex examinations, the time of drainage, hospitalization and complications were higher than in the literature, which can be explained by the drainage being made at the Emergency Room and the presence of associated injuries.

  18. What is the clinical significance of chest CT when the chest x-ray result is normal in patients with blunt trauma?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kea, Bory; Gamarallage, Ruwan; Vairamuthu, Hemamalini; Fortman, Jonathan; Lunney, Kevin; Hendey, Gregory W; Rodriguez, Robert M

    2013-08-01

    Computed tomography (CT) has been shown to detect more injuries than plain radiography in patients with blunt trauma, but it is unclear whether these injuries are clinically significant. This study aimed to determine the proportion of patients with normal chest x-ray (CXR) result and injury seen on CT and abnormal initial CXR result and no injury on CT and to characterize the clinical significance of injuries seen on CT as determined by a trauma expert panel. Patients with blunt trauma older than 14 years who received emergency department chest imaging as part of their evaluation at 2 urban level I trauma centers were enrolled. An expert trauma panel a priori classified thoracic injuries and subsequent interventions as major, minor, or no clinical significance. Of 3639 participants, 2848 (78.3%) had CXR alone and 791 (21.7%) had CXR and chest CT. Of 589 patients who had chest CT after a normal CXR result, 483 (82.0% [95% confidence interval [CI], 78.7-84.9%]) had normal CT results, and 106 (18.0% [95% CI, 15.1%-21.3%]) had CTs diagnosing injuries-primarily rib fractures, pulmonary contusion, and incidental pneumothorax. Twelve patients had injuries classified as clinically major (2.0% [95% CI, 1.2%-3.5%]), 78 were clinically minor (13.2% [95% CI, 10.7%-16.2%]), and 16 were clinically insignificant (2.7% (95% CI, 1.7%-4.4%]). Of 202 patients with CXRs suggesting injury, 177 (87.6% [95% CI, 82.4%-91.5%]) had chest CTs confirming injury and 25 (12.4% [95% CI, 8.5%-17.6%]) had no injury on CT. Chest CT after a normal CXR result in patients with blunt trauma detects injuries, but most do not lead to changes in patient management. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Penetrating cardiac injuries in blunt chest wall trauma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kanchan, Tanuj; Menezes, Ritesh G; Sirohi, Parmendra

    2012-08-01

    The present photocase illustrates the possible mechanism of direct cardiac injuries from broken sharp jagged fractured ends of ribs in blunt force trauma to the chest in run over traffic mishaps. We propose that the projecting fractured ends of the ribs penetrate the underlying thoracic organs due to the transient phenomenon of deformation of chest cavity under pressure in run over traffic mishaps. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

  20. Large pneumothorax in blunt chest trauma: Is a chest drain always necessary in stable patients? A case report

    OpenAIRE

    Idris, Baig M.; Hefny, Ashraf F.

    2016-01-01

    Introduction: Pneumothorax is the most common potentially life-threatening blunt chest injury. The management of pneumothorax depends upon the etiology, its size and hemodynamic stability of the patient. Most clinicians agree that chest drainage is essential for the management of traumatic large pneumothorax. Herein, we present a case of large pneumothorax in blunt chest trauma patient that resolved spontaneously without a chest drain. Presentation of case: A 63- year- old man presented...

  1. Blunt chest trauma: bony injury in the thorax.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zreik, Nasri H; Francis, Irene; Ray, Arun; Rogers, Benedict A; Ricketts, David M

    2016-02-01

    The management of blunt chest trauma is an evolving concept with no clear current guidelines. This article explores the bony injuries associated with this, focusing on rib fractures and flail segments and the themes around investigation and best management.

  2. Hepatic hydrothorax after blunt chest trauma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shang-Chiung Wang

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available We report a successful treatment result in a rare case of hepatitis C virus-related cirrhosis, who had sustained hydrothorax after blunt thoracoabdominal trauma. This was a female patient with liver cirrhosis, Child–Turcotte–Pugh class A, without ascites before injury. She sustained blunt thoracoabdominal trauma with a left clavicle fracture dislocation and right rib fractures. There was no hemopneumothorax at initial presentation. However, dyspnea and right pleural effusion developed gradually. We inserted a chest tube to relieve the patient's symptoms, and the daily drainage amount remained consistent. Hepatic hydrothorax was confirmed by the intraperitoneal injection of radioisotope 99mTc-sulfur colloid that demonstrated one-way transdiaphragmatic flow of fluid from the peritoneal cavity to pleural cavities. Finally, the hydrothorax was treated successfully by minocycline-induced pleural symphysis. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of hepatic hydrothorax developed after thoracoabdominal trauma.

  3. Initial assessment of chest X-ray in thoracic trauma patients: Awareness of specific injuries

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Aukema, Tjeerd S.; Beenen, Ludo F. M.; Hietbrink, Falco; Leenen, Luke Ph

    2012-01-01

    To compare the reported injuries on initial assessment of the chest X-ray (CXR) in thoracic trauma patients to a second read performed by a dedicated trauma radiologist. By retrospective analysis of a prospective database, 712 patients with an injury to the chest admitted to the University Medical

  4. Extended focused assessment with sonography for trauma (EFAST) in the diagnosis of pneumothorax: experience at a community based level I trauma center.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nandipati, Kalyana C; Allamaneni, Shyam; Kakarla, Ravindra; Wong, Alfredo; Richards, Neil; Satterfield, James; Turner, James W; Sung, Kae-Jae

    2011-05-01

    Early identification of pneumothorax is crucial to reduce the mortality in critically injured patients. The objective of our study is to investigate the utility of surgeon performed extended focused assessment with sonography for trauma (EFAST) in the diagnosis of pneumothorax. We prospectively analysed 204 trauma patients in our level I trauma center over a period of 12 (06/2007-05/2008) months in whom EFAST was performed. The patients' demographics, type of injury, clinical examination findings (decreased air entry), CXR, EFAST and CT scan findings were entered into the data base. Sensitivity, specificity, positive (PPV) and negative predictive values (NPV) were calculated. Of 204 patients (mean age--43.01+/-19.5 years, sex--male 152, female 52) 21 (10.3%) patients had pneumothorax. Of 21 patients who had pneumothorax 12 were due to blunt trauma and 9 were due to penetrating trauma. The diagnosis of pneumothorax in 204 patients demonstrated the following: clinical examination was positive in 17 patients (true positive in 13/21, 62%; 4 were false positive and 8 were false negative), CXR was positive in 16 (true positive in 15/19, 79%; 1 false positive, 4 missed and 2 CXR not performed before chest tube) patients and EFAST was positive in 21 patients (20 were true positive [95.2%], 1 false positive and 1 false negative). In diagnosing pneumothorax EFAST has significantly higher sensitivity compared to the CXR (P=0.02). Surgeon performed trauma room extended FAST is simple and has higher sensitivity compared to the chest X-ray and clinical examination in detecting pneumothorax. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  5. Acute diaphragmatic paralysis caused by chest-tube trauma to phrenic nerve

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nahum, E.; Ben-Ari, J.; Schonfeld, T. [Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Schneider Children' s Medical Center of Israel, Petah Tiqva (Israel); Horev, G. [Dept. of Diagnostic Radiology, Schneider Children' s Medical Center of Israel, Petah Tiqva (Israel); Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv (Israel)

    2001-06-01

    A 3{sup 1}/{sub 2}-year-old child developed unilateral diaphragmatic paralysis after chest drain insertion. Plain chest X-ray demonstrated paravertebral positioning of the chest-tube tip, and magnetic resonance imaging revealed hematomas in the region of the chest-tube tip and the phrenic nerve fibers. The trauma to the phrenic nerve was apparently secondary to malposition of the chest tube. This is a rare complication and has been reported mainly in neonates. Radiologists should notify the treating physicians that the correct position of a chest drain tip is at least 2 cm distant from the vertebrae. (orig.)

  6. Acute diaphragmatic paralysis caused by chest-tube trauma to phrenic nerve

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nahum, E.; Ben-Ari, J.; Schonfeld, T.; Horev, G.

    2001-01-01

    A 3 1 / 2 -year-old child developed unilateral diaphragmatic paralysis after chest drain insertion. Plain chest X-ray demonstrated paravertebral positioning of the chest-tube tip, and magnetic resonance imaging revealed hematomas in the region of the chest-tube tip and the phrenic nerve fibers. The trauma to the phrenic nerve was apparently secondary to malposition of the chest tube. This is a rare complication and has been reported mainly in neonates. Radiologists should notify the treating physicians that the correct position of a chest drain tip is at least 2 cm distant from the vertebrae. (orig.)

  7. Impacted thoracic foreign bodies after penetrating chest trauma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sersar, Sameh I; Albohiri, Khalid A; Abdelmohty, Hysam

    2016-10-01

    Retained foreign bodies in the chest may include shell fragments, bullets, shrapnel, pieces of clothing, bones, and rib fragments. The risks of removal of foreign bodies must be weighed against the complications of leaving them inside the chest. We treated 90 cases of retained intrathoracic foreign bodies in patients admitted to 3 tertiary centers in Saudi Arabia between March 2015 and March 2016. Sixty patients were injured by shrapnel, 26 had one or more bullets, 3 had broken rib fragments, and one had a metal screw. The chest wall was site of impaction in 48 cases, the lungs in 24, pleura in 14, and mediastinum in 4. Removal of the retained foreign body was carried out in 12 patients only: bullets in 9 cases, bone fragments in 2, and a metal screw in one. The predictors for removal were bullets, female sex, and mediastinal position with bilateral chest injury, especially with fracture ribs. Retained intrathoracic foreign bodies due to penetrating chest trauma are treated mainly conservatively unless there is another indication for chest exploration. © The Author(s) 2016.

  8. Selective chest imaging for blunt trauma patients: The national emergency X-ray utilization studies (NEXUS-chest algorithm).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rodriguez, Robert M; Hendey, Gregory W; Mower, William R

    2017-01-01

    Chest imaging plays a prominent role in blunt trauma patient evaluation, but indiscriminate imaging is expensive, may delay care, and unnecessarily exposes patients to potentially harmful ionizing radiation. To improve diagnostic chest imaging utilization, we conducted 3 prospective multicenter studies over 12years to derive and validate decision instruments (DIs) to guide the use of chest x-ray (CXR) and chest computed tomography (CT). The first DI, NEXUS Chest x-ray, consists of seven criteria (Age >60years; rapid deceleration mechanism; chest pain; intoxication; altered mental status; distracting painful injury; and chest wall tenderness) and exhibits a sensitivity of 99.0% (95% confidence interval [CI] 98.2-99.4%) and a specificity of 13.3% (95% CI, 12.6%-14.0%) for detecting clinically significant injuries. We developed two NEXUS Chest CT DIs, which are both highly reliable in detecting clinically major injuries (sensitivity of 99.2%; 95% CI 95.4-100%). Designed primarily to focus on detecting major injuries, the NEXUS Chest CT-Major DI consists of six criteria (abnormal CXR; distracting injury; chest wall tenderness; sternal tenderness; thoracic spine tenderness; and scapular tenderness) and exhibits higher specificity (37.9%; 95% CI 35.8-40.1%). Designed to reliability detect both major and minor injuries (sensitivity 95.4%; 95% CI 93.6-96.9%) with resulting lower specificity (25.5%; 95% CI 23.5-27.5%), the NEXUS CT-All rule consists of seven elements (the six NEXUS CT-Major criteria plus rapid deceleration mechanism). The purpose of this review is to synthesize the three DIs into a novel, cohesive summary algorithm with practical implementation recommendations to guide selective chest imaging in adult blunt trauma patients. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. The diagnosis and management of children with blunt injury of the chest.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sartorelli, Kennith H; Vane, Dennis W

    2004-05-01

    Thoracic trauma remains a major source of morbidity and mortality in injured children, and is second only to brain injuries as a cause of death. The presence of a chest injury increases an injured child's mortality by 20-fold. Greater than 80% of chest injuries in children are secondary to blunt trauma. The compliant chest wall in children makes pulmonary contusions and rib fractures the most common chest injuries in children. Injuries to the great vessels, esophagus, and diaphragm are rare. Failure to promptly diagnose and treat these injuries results in increased morbidity and mortality.

  10. Alveolar macrophage phagocytosis is enhanced after blunt chest trauma and alters the posttraumatic mediator release.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seitz, Daniel H; Palmer, Annette; Niesler, Ulrike; Fröba, Janine S; Heidemann, Vera; Rittlinger, Anne; Braumüller, Sonja T; Zhou, Shaoxia; Gebhard, Florian; Knöferl, Markus W

    2011-12-01

    Blunt chest trauma is known to induce a pulmonary invasion of short-lived polymorphonuclear neutrophils and apoptosis of alveolar epithelial type 2 (AT2) cells. Apoptotic cells are removed by alveolar macrophages (AMΦ). We hypothesized that chest trauma alters the phagocytic response of AMΦ as well as the mediator release of AMΦ during phagocytosis. To study this, male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to blunt chest trauma. Phagocytosis assays were performed in AMΦ isolated 2 or 24 h after trauma with apoptotic cells or opsonized beads. Phagocytosis of apoptotic AT2 cells by unstimulated AMΦ was significantly increased 2 h after trauma. At 24 h, AMΦ from traumatized animals, stimulated with phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate, ingested significantly more apoptotic polymorphonuclear neutrophils than AMΦ from sham animals. Alveolar macrophages after trauma released significantly higher levels of tumor necrosis factor α, macrophage inflammatory protein 1α, and cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractant 1 when they incorporated latex beads, but significantly lower levels of interleukin 1β and macrophage inflammatory protein 1α when they ingested apoptotic cells. In vivo, phagocytosis of intratracheally instilled latex beads was decreased in traumatized rats. The bronchoalveolar lavage concentrations of the phagocytosis-supporting surfactant proteins A and D after blunt chest trauma were slightly decreased, whereas surfactant protein D mRNA expression in AT2 cells was significantly increased after 2 h. These findings indicate that chest trauma augments the phagocytosis of apoptotic cells by AMΦ. Phagocytosis of opsonized beads enhances and ingestion of apoptotic cells downregulates the immunologic response following lung contusion. Our data emphasize the important role of phagocytosis during posttraumatic inflammation after lung contusion.

  11. FLAIL CHEST

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    Anton Crnjac

    2003-12-01

    Full Text Available Background. Major thoracic trauma is consistent with high mortality rate because of associated injuries of vital thoracic organs and dangerous complications. The flail chest occurs after disruption of the skeletal continuity of chest wall and demands because of its pathophysiological complexity rapid and accurate diagnosis and treatment.Conclusions. Basic pathophysiological mechanism of the flail chest is respiratory distress, which is provoked by pulmonary contusions and paradoxical chest wall motion. The treatment should be pointed to improvement and support of respiratory functions and include aggressive pain control, pulmonary physiotherapy and selective mechanical ventilation. Views about operative fixation of the flail chest are still controversial. Neither mortality rate neither long-term disability are improved after operative fixation.

  12. Derivation and validation of two decision instruments for selective chest CT in blunt trauma: a multicenter prospective observational study (NEXUS Chest CT).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rodriguez, Robert M; Langdorf, Mark I; Nishijima, Daniel; Baumann, Brigitte M; Hendey, Gregory W; Medak, Anthony J; Raja, Ali S; Allen, Isabel E; Mower, William R

    2015-10-01

    Unnecessary diagnostic imaging leads to higher costs, longer emergency department stays, and increased patient exposure to ionizing radiation. We sought to prospectively derive and validate two decision instruments (DIs) for selective chest computed tomography (CT) in adult blunt trauma patients. From September 2011 to May 2014, we prospectively enrolled blunt trauma patients over 14 y of age presenting to eight US, urban level 1 trauma centers in this observational study. During the derivation phase, physicians recorded the presence or absence of 14 clinical criteria before viewing chest imaging results. We determined injury outcomes by CT radiology readings and categorized injuries as major or minor according to an expert-panel-derived clinical classification scheme. We then employed recursive partitioning to derive two DIs: Chest CT-All maximized sensitivity for all injuries, and Chest CT-Major maximized sensitivity for only major thoracic injuries (while increasing specificity). In the validation phase, we employed similar methodology to prospectively test the performance of both DIs. We enrolled 11,477 patients-6,002 patients in the derivation phase and 5,475 patients in the validation phase. The derived Chest CT-All DI consisted of (1) abnormal chest X-ray, (2) rapid deceleration mechanism, (3) distracting injury, (4) chest wall tenderness, (5) sternal tenderness, (6) thoracic spine tenderness, and (7) scapular tenderness. The Chest CT-Major DI had the same criteria without rapid deceleration mechanism. In the validation phase, Chest CT-All had a sensitivity of 99.2% (95% CI 95.4%-100%), a specificity of 20.8% (95% CI 19.2%-22.4%), and a negative predictive value (NPV) of 99.8% (95% CI 98.9%-100%) for major injury, and a sensitivity of 95.4% (95% CI 93.6%-96.9%), a specificity of 25.5% (95% CI 23.5%-27.5%), and a NPV of 93.9% (95% CI 91.5%-95.8%) for either major or minor injury. Chest CT-Major had a sensitivity of 99.2% (95% CI 95.4%-100%), a specificity of

  13. Radiation protection. Factors influencing compliance to referral guidelines in minor chest trauma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tack, Denis; Louage, Fabian; Muylem, Alain van; Howarth, Nigel; Gevenois, Pierre Alain

    2018-01-01

    To test the hypothesis that referral guidelines are not sufficiently known by prescribers and that medico-legal concerns could influence the prescription of radiographs in minor chest trauma. We submitted a questionnaire including a typical clinical history and questions on reasons for prescribing radiographs of the ribs in minor chest trauma to 112 prescriptors (33 residents, 18 surgeons, 7 internists, 24 general practitioners and 30 ER physicians). All accepted to participate. Comparisons were performed by Fisher's exact test followed by a post-hoc analysis and by a McNemar test. Fifty-eight percent of prescriptors proposed rib radiographs, most (89%) being unaware of the guidelines. Only 11% of them changed their intention to order radiographs after information on referral guidelines and radiation dose (P=0.057). The mean dose delivered by rib radiographs was 38 times higher than that of a chest X-ray. Legal and medico-legal concerns (requirements from insurance policies and avoidance of lawsuits) were the main reasons for requesting radiographs. Unsharpness of guidelines in addition to social and medico-legal issues, rather than medical reasons or the lack of knowledge of the guidelines, strongly influence the prescription of radiographs of the ribs in minor chest trauma. (orig.)

  14. Predictors of poor outcomes after significant chest trauma in multiply injured patients: a retrospective analysis from the German Trauma Registry (Trauma Register DGU®).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huber, Stephan; Biberthaler, Peter; Delhey, Patrick; Trentzsch, Heiko; Winter, Hauke; van Griensven, Martijn; Lefering, Rolf; Huber-Wagner, Stefan

    2014-09-03

    Blunt thoracic trauma is one of the critical injury mechanisms in multiply injured trauma victims. Although these patients present a plethora of potential structural damages to vital organs, it remains debated which injuries actually influence outcome and thereby should be addressed initially. Hence, the aim of this study was to identify the influence of critical structural damages on mortality. All patients in the database of the TraumaRegister DGU® (TR-DGU) from 2002-2011 with AIS Chest ≥ 2, blunt trauma, age of 16 or older and an ISS ≥ 16 were analyzed. Outcome parameters were in-hospital mortality as well as ventilation time in patients surviving the initial 14 days after trauma. 22613 Patients were included (mean ISS 30.5 ± 12.6; 74.7% male; Mean Age 46.1 ± 197 years; mortality 17.5%; mean duration of ventilation 7.3 ± 11.5; mean ICU stay 11.7 ± 14.1 days). Only a limited number of specific injuries had a significant impact on survival. Major thoracic vessel injuries (AIS ≥5), bilateral lung contusion, bilateral flail chest, structural heart injury (AIS ≥3) significantly influence mortality in study patients. Several extrathoracic factors (age, blood transfusion, systolic blood pressure and extrathoracic severe injuries) were also predictive of increased mortality. Most injuries of the thoracic wall had no or only a moderate effect on the duration of ventilation. Injuries to the lung (laceration, contusion or pneumothoraces) had a moderate prolonging effect. Cardiac injuries and severe injuries to the thoracic vessels induced a substantially prolonged ventilation interval. We demonstrate quantitatively the influence of specific structural damages of the chest on critical outcome parameters. While most injuries of the chest wall have no or only limited impact in the study collective, injuries to the lung overall show adverse outcome. Injuries to the heart or thoracic vessels have a devastating prognosis following blunt

  15. Mechanisms and Clinical Management of Ventricular Arrhythmias following Blunt Chest Trauma

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    Daniel H. Wolbrom

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Nonpenetrating, blunt chest trauma is a serious medical condition with varied clinical presentations and implications. This can be the result of a dense projectile during competitive and recreational sports but may also include other etiologies such as motor vehicle accidents or traumatic falls. In this setting, the manifestation of ventricular arrhythmias has been observed both acutely and chronically. This is based on two entirely separate mechanisms and etiologies requiring different treatments. Ventricular fibrillation can occur immediately after chest wall injury (commotio cordis and requires rapid defibrillation. Monomorphic ventricular tachycardia can develop in the chronic stage due to underlying structural heart disease long after blunt chest injury. The associated arrhythmogenic tissue may be complex and provides the necessary substrate to form a reentrant VT circuit. Ventricular tachycardia in the absence of overt structural heart disease appears to be focal in nature with rapid termination during ablation. Regardless of the VT mechanism, patients with recurrent episodes, despite antiarrhythmic medication in the chronic stage following blunt chest injury, are likely to require ablation to achieve VT control. This review article will describe the mechanisms, pathophysiology, and treatment of ventricular arrhythmias that occur in both the acute and chronic stages following blunt chest trauma.

  16. Is chest x-ray an adequate screening tool for the diagnosis of blunt thoracic aortic injury?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ekeh, Akpofure Peter; Peterson, Wylan; Woods, Randy J; Walusimbi, Mbaga; Nwuneli, Nancy; Saxe, Jonathan M; McCarthy, Mary C

    2008-11-01

    Blunt thoracic aortic injuries (BTAI) have a high mortality rate. For survivors, chest X-ray (CXR) findings are used to determine the need for further diagnostic testing with chest computerized tomography with angiography (CTA) or conventional angiography. We set to determine the adequacy of utilizing CXR alone as a screening tool for BTAI. All patients diagnosed with BTAI at a level I trauma-center during a 7-year-period were identified. CXRs of these patients and those of a control group of blunt trauma patients with an injury severity score >15 were reviewed by four trauma surgeons blinded to the diagnosis. Based on each CXR viewed, the surgeons decided if they would have proceeded to chest CTA, angiography, or required no further studies to rule out BTAI. In the 7-year-period, 83 patients had BTAI. CXRs were available in 45 patients. The four surgeons viewed 96 CXRs including those of 51 controls. Based on the CXR appearance in patients with BTAI, the surgeons chose to proceed to chest CTA in 38 patients (84.4%), conventional aortography in two patients (4.4%), and no further testing in five patients (11.2%). A widened mediastinum (75%) and loss of the aorto-pulmonary window (40%) were the most frequent CXR abnormalities. Patients with BTAI were more likely to have an abnormal CXR-40 of 45 (88.8%) patients when compared with the controls-25 of 51 (49%)patients-p < 0.001. Although CXR is a sensitive screening modality, it failed to identify the possibility of BTAI in 11% of patients. The liberal use of chest CTA after high speed motor vehicle crashes is recommended to minimize the incidence of missed BTAI.

  17. The significance of routine thoracic computed tomography in patients with blunt chest trauma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Çorbacıoğlu, Seref Kerem; Er, Erhan; Aslan, Sahin; Seviner, Meltem; Aksel, Gökhan; Doğan, Nurettin Özgür; Güler, Sertaç; Bitir, Aysen

    2015-05-01

    The purpose of this study is to investigate whether the use of thoracic computed tomography (TCT) as part of nonselective computed tomography (CT) guidelines is superior to selective CT during the diagnosis of blunt chest trauma. This study was planned as a prospective cohort study, and it was conducted at the emergency department between 2013 and 2014. A total of 260 adult patients who did not meet the exclusion criteria were enrolled in the study. All patients were evaluated by an emergency physician, and their primary surveys were completed based on the Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) principles. Based on the initial findings and ATLS recommendations, patients in whom thoracic CT was indicated were determined (selective CT group). Routine CTs were then performed on all patients. Thoracic injuries were found in 97 (37.3%) patients following routine TCT. In 53 (20%) patients, thoracic injuries were found by selective CT. Routine TCT was able to detect chest injury in 44 (16%) patients for whom selective TCT would not otherwise be ordered based on the EP evaluation (nonselective TCT group). Five (2%) patients in this nonselective TCT group required tube thoracostomy, while there was no additional treatment provided for thoracic injuries in the remaining 39 (15%). In conclusion, we found that the nonselective TCT method was superior to the selective TCT method in detecting thoracic injuries in patients with blunt trauma. Furthermore, we were able to demonstrate that the nonselective TCT method can change the course of patient management albeit at low rates. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Using 99mTc-DTPA radioaerosol inhalation lung scan as compared with computed tomography to detect lung injury in blunt chest trauma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Esme, H.; Kaya, E.; Solak, O.; Yavuz, Y.; Yurumez, Y.; Sezer, M.

    2007-01-01

    Detection of pulmonary contusion in patients with blunt chest trauma is very important so as to commence therapy immediately to avoid irreversible damage. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the efficacy of technetium-99m diethylene triamine penta-acetic acid ( 99m Tc-DTPA) aerosol inhalation lung scintigraphy in comparison with chest computed tomography (CT) in the diagnosis of pulmonary contusion at acute blunt chest trauma. Twenty-nine patients with isolated blunt chest trauma were referred to the emergency department of our hospital, and nine healthy people participated in this study. Sixteen patients who had pulmonary contusion on CT scans were referred to as group 1, and 13 patients who had normal CT scans as group 2. Nine healthy people comprised a control group. 99m Tc-DTPA aerosol inhalation lung scintigraphy was performed on the first day in all patients. The mean half time (T 1/2 ) and penetration index values of 99m Tc-DTPA clearance were significantly lower in groups 1 and 2 compared with the control group. Among the three groups, there were no significant differences in arterial blood gas analysis except for PO 2 . The mean T 1/2 value of 99m Tc-DTPA clearance did correlate with PO 2 values but not with pH, PCO 2 , or HCO 3 values. 99m Tc-DTPA radioaerosol inhalation lung imaging may serve as a useful adjunct and supportive method to chest CT scanning for detecting mild pulmonary contusion. (author)

  19. Are routine repeat chest x-rays before leaving the trauma room useful?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Lemmers, M.; Saltzherr, T. P.; Beenen, L. F. M.; Ponsen, K. J.; Goslings, J. C.

    2010-01-01

    Several guidelines advocate multiple chest x-rays during primary resuscitation of trauma patients. Some local hospital protocols include a repeat x-ray before leaving the trauma resuscitation room (TR). The purpose of this study was to determine the value of routine repeat x-rays. One-year data of

  20. Studying morbidity and predicting mortality in patients with blunt chest trauma using a novel clinical score

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    Priyadarshini Manay

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: A departmental audit in March 2015 revealed significant mortality rate of 40% in blunt chest trauma patients (much greater than the global 25%. A study was thus planned to study morbidity and predictors of mortality in blunt chest trauma patients admitted to our hospital. Methods: This study was a prospective observational study of 139 patients with a history of blunt chest trauma between June 2015 and November 2015 after the Institutional Ethics Committee approval in April 2015. The sample size was calculated from the prevalence rate in our institute from the past medical records. Results: The morbidity factors following blunt chest injuries apart from pain were need for Intensive Care Unit stay, mechanical ventilation, and pneumonia/acute respiratory distress syndrome. Significant predictors of mortality in our study were SpO2 16, and need for mechanical ventilation. By calculating the likelihood ratios of each respiratory sign, a clinical score was devised. Conclusion: The modifiable factors affecting morbidity and mortality were identified. Mild to moderate chest injury due to blunt trauma is difficult to diagnose. The restoration of respiratory physiology has not only significant implications on recovery from chest injury but also all other injuries. It is our sincere hope that the score we have formulated will help reduce mortality and morbidity after further trials.

  1. The number of displaced rib fractures is more predictive for complications in chest trauma patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chien, Chih-Ying; Chen, Yu-Hsien; Han, Shih-Tsung; Blaney, Gerald N; Huang, Ting-Shuo; Chen, Kuan-Fu

    2017-02-28

    Traumatic rib fractures can cause chest complications that need further treatment and hospitalization. We hypothesized that an increase in the number of displaced rib fractures will be accompanied by an increase in chest complications. We retrospectively reviewed the trauma registry between January 2013 and May 2015 in a teaching hospital in northeastern Taiwan. Patients admitted with chest trauma and rib fractures without concomitant severe brain, splenic, pelvic or liver injuries were included. The demographic data, such as gender, age, the index of coexistence disease, alcohol consumption, trauma mechanisms were analyzed as potential predictors of pulmonary complications. Pulmonary complications were defined as pneumothorax, hemothorax, flail chest, pulmonary contusion, and pneumonia. In the 29 months of the study period, a total of 3151 trauma patients were admitted to our hospital. Among them, 174 patients were enrolled for final analysis. The most common trauma mechanism was road traffic accidents (58.6%), mainly motorbike accidents (n = 70, 40.2%). Three or more displaced rib fractures had higher specificity for predicting complications, compared to three or more total rib fractures (95.5% vs 59.1%). Adjusting the severity of chest trauma using TTSS and Ribscore by multivariable logistic regression analysis, we found that three or more rib fractures or any displaced rib fracture was the most significant predictor for developing pulmonary complication (aOR: 5.49 95% CI: 1.82-16.55). Furthermore, there were 18/57 (31.6%) patients with fewer than three ribs fractures developed pulmonary complications. In these 18 patients, only five patients had delayed onset complications and four of them had at least one displaced rib fracture. In this retrospective cohort study, we found that the number of displaced or total rib fractures, bilateral rib fractures, and rib fractures in more than two areas were associated with the more chest complications. Furthermore

  2. Transient electrocardiographic abnormalities following blunt chest trauma in a child

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Udink ten Cate, Floris; Heerde, van Marc; Rammeloo, Lukas; Hruda, Jaroslav

    2008-01-01

    Blunt cardiac injury may occur in patients after suffering nonpenetrating trauma of the chest. It encompasses a wide spectrum of cardiac injury with varied severity and clinical presentation. Electrocardiographic abnormalities are frequently encountered. This article presents a case of a child

  3. The utility of computed tomography as a screening tool for the evaluation of pediatric blunt chest trauma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Markel, Troy A; Kumar, Rajiv; Koontz, Nicholas A; Scherer, L R; Applegate, Kimberly E

    2009-07-01

    There is a growing concern that computed tomography (CT) is being unnecessarily overused for the evaluation of pediatric patients. The purpose of this study was to analyze the trends and utility of chest CT use compared with chest X-ray (CXR) for the evaluation of children with blunt chest trauma. A 4-year retrospective review was performed for pediatric patients who underwent chest CT within 24 hours of sustaining blunt trauma at a Level-I trauma center. Trends in the use of CT and CXR were documented, and results of radiology reports were analyzed and compared with clinical outcomes. Three hundred thirty-three children, mean age 11 years, had chest CTs, increasing from 5.5% in 2001-2002 to 10.5% in 2004-2005 (p tool to analyze which patients may require CT evaluation. A multidisciplinary approach is warranted to develop guidelines that standardize the use of CT and thereby decreases unnecessary radiation exposure to pediatric patients.

  4. MODERN DIAGNOSTIC AND THERAPEUTIC TECHNOLOGIES FOR THE CHEST TRAUMA ASSOCIATED WITH THE FALL FROM A HEIGHT IN THE REPUBLIC RESEARCH CENTRE OF EMERGENCY MEDICINE

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    A. M. Khadzhibayev

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND. The rate of the multisystem chest trauma and mortality in patients with catatrauma remains high.OBJECTIVE. To study the diagnosis and treatment of the multisystem chest trauma in patients associated with the fall from a height.MATERIAL AND METHODS. 243 patients (208 multisystem injuries and 35 isolated injuries with a chest trauma associated with the fall from a height were examined in the surgical department of Republic research centre of emergency medicine. We performed X-ray, CT and endosurgical examinations.RESULTS. Instrumental examination revealed pneumothorax and hydrothorax in 24.4% and 22.6% of victims respectively. The rib injuries were observed in 181 patients, sternum fractures in 8 victims and thoracic vertebrae fractures in 84 patients. The puncture and thoracocentesis of the pleural cavities were performed in 85 cases. The thoracoscopy was performed in 21 patients, the thoracotomy – in 15 patients, suturing of the lung – in 22 patients, coagulation – in 15 patients, external plate fixation of multiple injured ribs – in 10 patients. The mortality rate was 21.4%.CONCLuSION. The specifics of the multisystem chest trauma associated with the fall from a height is the development of hemothorax and pneumothorax. Thoracocentesis and videothoracoscopy allow to diagnose and stop the hemorrhage properly, to restore the lung rupture and perform the thoracotomy in severe cases, as well as reduce of complications frequency and mortality rate. 

  5. CT analysis of pulmonary injuries from blunt chest trauma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Konno, Shoko

    1996-01-01

    The purpose of this paper is to analyze the CT findings of pulmonary parenchymal injuries due to blunt chest trauma and to categorize CT findings on the basis of their outcome. The materials of this study consist of 62 patients who had pulmonary injuries on CT obtained within 6 hours after blunt chest trauma. CT findings were analysed with regards to the shape, size, and distribution of the lesions. Follow-up CT scans were obtained in 35 patients at intervals from 1 day to 1 month after the initial CT study. CT showed ill-defined opacities in 59 patients (64 lesions in the peripheral area and 95 in the non-peripheral area) and pulmonary nodules with or without cavitary lesions in 30 patients (7 lesions in the peripheral area and 31 in the non-peripheral area). Follow-up CT allowed the classification of these pulmonary injuries into 3 types; the non-peripheral, ill-defined opacities showing immediate clearing, nodules with or without cavitary lesions over 1 cm in diameter showing prolongation, and the peripheral ill-defined opacities adjacent to the thoracic cage, and small nodules with or without cavitary lesions within 1 cm in diameter, showing various courses. CT has marked advantage over plain chest radiographs not only in the detection rate but in accurate estimation of the prognosis of the lesions. (author)

  6. The importance of plain radiographic signs for emergency aortography in blunt chest trauma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schumacher, K.A.; Trost, K.; Bargon, G.

    1983-01-01

    A retrospective study of plain radiographic findings in 11 patients with traumatic rupture of the aorta was conducted, and the results compared with the incidence of numerous chest x-rays signs previously described in 294 cases of angiographically proven thoracic aorta dissection. It is concluded that positive plain radiographic signs obtained from patients with blunt chest trauma reveal high sensitivity and may thus be used as an indication for emergency aortography. However, since this procedure lacks 100% specificity even those patients with normal x-ray findings but clinically and/or anamnestically adequate thoracic trauma should be submitted to aortography. (orig.) [de

  7. Traumatic pulmonary pseudocysts after blunt chest trauma: Prevalence, mechanisms of injury, and computed tomography findings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cho, Hyun Jin; Jeon, Yang Bin; Ma, Dae Sung; Lee, Jung Nam; Chung, Min

    2015-09-01

    Traumatic pulmonary pseudocyst (TPP) is a rare complication of blunt chest trauma and closely related with severe injury. However, it has been poorly documented. We present a retrospective review of TPP cases treated at our hospital. The medical records and chest computed tomography scans of patients with TPP treated from January 2010 to December 2013 were retrospectively studied. A total of 978 patients underwent chest computed tomography for blunt chest trauma during the study period, and 81 (8.3%) had a total of 150 TPPs. The most common mechanism of injury was being struck by a motorized vehicle (n = 25, 30.9%). The mean (SD) Injury Severity Score (ISS) of the 81 patients was 33.2 (11.4). The prevalence of TPP was higher in younger patients (p = 0.011), but the total number of fractured ribs was significantly lower (p = 0.001). In a subgroup analysis performed according to pseudocyst location, the intraparenchymal group had more severe injuries than the subpleural group (ISS, 23.3 vs. 32.4, p chest Abbreviated Injury Scale [AIS] score, 3.4 vs. 4.0, p chest trauma was 8.3% and was higher in those struck by a vehicle and younger patients. Intraparenchymal pseudocyst was found to be related to more severe injuries. TPP was a self-limiting condition that does not require specific treatment. Prognostic/epidemiologic study, level IV.

  8. Atrioventricular Dissociation following Blunt Chest Trauma

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    Salim Surani

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Blunt chest trauma (BCT is a common clinical presentation seen in emergency departments. Few cases of cardiac conduction abnormalities due to BCT have been reported in the medical literature. This dysrhythmias may present as permanent conduction defects requiring permanent pacemaker or may have temporary conduction abnormalities requiring temporary pacemaker or supportive care. We present the case of a young woman who suffered from BCT after being kicked by a horse with the development of a significant substernal hematoma. She developed temporary atrioventricular block, which was completely resolved with the decrease in the size of the substernal hematoma suffered.

  9. Occult pneumothorax in Chinese patients with significant blunt chest trauma: incidence and management.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Ka L; Graham, Colin A; Yeung, Janice H H; Ahuja, Anil T; Rainer, Timothy H

    2010-05-01

    Occult pneumothorax (OP) is a pneumothorax not visualised on a supine chest X-ray (CXR) but detected on computed tomography (CT) scanning. With increasing CT use for trauma, more OP may be detected. Management of OP remains controversial, especially for patients undergoing mechanical ventilation. This study aimed to identify the incidence of OP using thoracic CT as the gold standard and describe its management amongst Hong Kong Chinese trauma patients. Analysis of prospectively collected trauma registry data. Consecutive significantly injured trauma patients admitted through the emergency department (ED) suffering from blunt chest trauma who underwent thoracic computed tomography (TCT) between in calendar years 2007 and 2008 were included. An OP was defined as the identification (by a specialist radiologist) of a pneumothorax on TCT that had not been previously detected on supine CXR. 119 significantly injured patients were included. 56 patients had a pneumothorax on CXR and a further 36 patients had at least one OP [OP incidence 30% (36/119)]. Bilateral OP was present in 8/36 patients, so total OP numbers were 44. Tube thoracostomy was performed for 8/44 OP, all were mechanically ventilated in the ED. The remaining 36 OP were managed expectantly. No patients in the expectant group had pneumothorax progression, even though 8 patients required subsequent ventilation in the operating room for extrathoracic surgery. The incidence of OP (seen on TCT) in Chinese patients in Hong Kong after blunt chest trauma is higher than that typically reported in Caucasians. Most OP were managed expectantly without significant complications; no pneumothorax progressed even though some patients were mechanically ventilated. (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Tracheobronchial injuries in blunt chest trauma

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    vahid Montazeri

    2004-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Tracheobronchial injuries are uncommon but potentially fatal complication of blunt thoracic trauma harboring a high morbidity and mortality if not diagnosed early . A recent series gleaning cases from four major Trauma Center in Los Angeles nine cases in a seven- year period , but the incidence of these injuries has been increasing recently. This has been attributed to improvement in hospital care and advanced Trauma Centers and earlier diagnosis of such injuries. Disruption of tight main bronchus is more common, such injuries are often associated with rib or clavicular fractures. Findings: Clinical and paraclinical data gathered from records of three patients referred with tracheobronchial injuries during the recent ten years have been reviewed .These include clinical manifestations, diagnostic findings, treatment modality and clinical course. The outcome has been satisfactory in all three patients who have undergone operation 2-5 hours after sustaining the injury. We have not had any mortality. Conclusion: These results are similar to those of other series emphasizing over early diagnosis and treatment of such injuries .

  11. Cardiovascular magnetic resonance of myocardial infarction after blunt chest trauma: a heartbreaking soccer-shot

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    Fogarassy Peter

    2009-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Cardiac injury occasionally occurs as a result of blunt chest trauma. Most cardiac complications in chest trauma are due to myocardial contusion rather than direct damage to the coronary arteries. However, traumatic coronary injury has been reported, and a variety of underlying pathophysiological mechanisms have been proposed. We present a 26 year old patient presenting with an acute coronary syndrome as a consequence of a soccer-shot impact to the chest. CMR showed apical inferior infarction, as well as multiple small septal lesions which were presumed to have resulted from embolization. The culprit lesion was a proximal 75% LAD stenosis with a prominent plaque-rupture and thrombus-formation, and the distal LAD was occluded by thromboembolic material.

  12. Conventional radiography or ultra sound for rib fracture diagnosis: a literature review

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    Elham Pishbin

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available Blunt chest trauma accounts for the majority of mortalities and morbidities in traumatized patients. Rib fractures are one of the most common chest wall injuries due to blunt chest trauma, which is estimated to occur in 10% of all traumatic injuries. Conventional radiography and ultra-sonography are two commonly methods used for rib fracture diagnosis with different accuracy. In this study, we described different methods used in diagnosis of injuries related to blunt chest trauma and we aimed to review several studies compared the diagnostic value of these methods.

  13. How early should VATS be performed for retained haemothorax in blunt chest trauma?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Hsing-Lin; Huang, Wen-Yen; Yang, Chyan; Chou, Shih-Min; Chiang, Hsin-I; Kuo, Liang-Chi; Lin, Tsung-Ying; Chou, Yi-Pin

    2014-09-01

    Blunt chest injury is not uncommon in trauma patients. Haemothorax and pneumothorax may occur in these patients, and some of them will develop retained pleural collections. Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) has become an appropriate method for treating these complications, but the optimal timing for performing the surgery and its effects on outcome are not clearly understood. In this study, a total of 136 patients who received VATS for the management of retained haemothorax from January 2003 to December 2011 were retrospectively enrolled. All patients had blunt chest injuries and 90% had associated injuries in more than two sites. The time from trauma to operation was recorded and the patients were divided into three groups: 2-3 days (Group 1), 4-6 days (Group 2), and 7 or more days (Group 3). Clinical outcomes such as the length of stay (LOS) at the hospital and intensive care unit (ICU), and duration of ventilator and chest tube use were all recorded and compared between groups. The mean duration from trauma to operation was 5.9 days. All demographic characteristics showed no statistical differences between groups. Compared with other groups, Group 3 had higher rates of positive microbial cultures in pleural collections and sputum, longer duration of chest tube insertion and ventilator use. Lengths of hospital and ICU stay in Groups 1 and 2 showed no statistical difference, but were longer in Group 3. The frequency of repeated VATS was lower in Group 1 but without statistically significant difference. This study indicated that an early VATS intervention would decrease chest infection. It also reduced the duration of ventilator dependency. The clinical outcomes were significantly better for patients receiving VATS within 3 days under intensive care. In this study, we suggested that VATS might be delayed by associated injuries, but should not exceed 6 days after trauma. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  14. Sensitivity of bedside ultrasound and supine anteroposterior chest radiographs for the identification of pneumothorax after blunt trauma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilkerson, R Gentry; Stone, Michael B

    2010-01-01

    Supine anteroposterior (AP) chest radiographs in patients with blunt trauma have poor sensitivity for the identification of pneumothorax. Ultrasound (US) has been proposed as an alternative screening test for pneumothorax in this population. The authors conducted an evidence-based review of the medical literature to compare sensitivity of bedside US and AP chest radiographs in identifying pneumothorax after blunt trauma. MEDLINE and EMBASE databases were searched for trials from 1965 through June 2009 using a search strategy derived from the following PICO formulation of our clinical question: patients included adult (18 + years) emergency department (ED) patients in whom pneumothorax was suspected after blunt trauma. The intervention was thoracic ultrasonography for the detection of pneumothorax. The comparator was the supine AP chest radiograph during the initial evaluation of the patient. The outcome was the diagnostic performance of US in identifying the presence of pneumothorax in the study population. The criterion standard for the presence or absence of pneumothorax was computed tomography (CT) of the chest or a rush of air during thoracostomy tube placement (in unstable patients). Prospective, observational trials of emergency physician (EP)-performed thoracic US were included. Trials in which the exams were performed by radiologists or surgeons, or trials that investigated patients suffering penetrating trauma or with spontaneous or iatrogenic pneumothoraces, were excluded. The methodologic quality of the studies was assessed. Qualitative methods were used to summarize the study results. Data analysis consisted of test performance (sensitivity and specificity, with 95% confidence intervals [CIs]) of thoracic US and supine AP chest radiography. Four prospective observational studies were identified, with a total of 606 subjects who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The sensitivity and specificity of US for the detection of pneumothorax ranged from

  15. Mitral valve plasty for mitral regurgitation after blunt chest trauma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kumagai, H; Hamanaka, Y; Hirai, S; Mitsui, N; Kobayashi, T

    2001-06-01

    A 21 year-old woman was admitted to our hospital because of chest and back pain after blunt chest trauma. On admission, consciousness was clear and a physical examination showed labored breathing. Her vital signs were stable, but her breathing gradually worsened, and artificial respiration was started. The chest roentgenogram and a subsequent chest computed tomographic scans revealed contusions, hemothorax of the left lung and multiple rib fractures. A transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) revealed normal left ventricular wall motion and mild mitral regurgitation (MR). TTE was carried out repeatedly, and revealed gradually progressive MR and prolapse of the posterior medial leaflet, although there was no congestive heart failure. After her general condition had recovered, surgery was performed. Intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) revealed torn chordae at the posterior medial leaflet. The leaflet where the chorda was torn was cut and plicated, and posterior mitral annuloplasty was performed using a prosthetic ring. One month later following discharge, the MR had disappeared on TTE.

  16. Radiologic findings of thoracic trauma

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    Akgul Ozmen C

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available Cihan Akgul Ozmen,1 Serdar Onat,2 Delal Aycicek3 1Department of Radiology, 2Department of Chest Surgery, Dicle University School of Medicine, Diyarbakir, 3Radiology Unit, Siirt State Hospital, Siirt, Turkey Introduction: Chest trauma may be blunt or penetrating and the chest is the third most common trauma region. It is a significant cause of mortality. Multidetector computed tomography (MDCT has been an increasingly used method to evaluate chest trauma because of its high success in detecting tissue and organ injuries. Herein, we aimed to present MDCT findings in patients with blunt and penetrating chest trauma admitted to our department. Methods: A total of 240 patients admitted to the emergency department of our hospital between April 2012 and July 2013 with a diagnosis of chest trauma who underwent MDCT evaluations were included. Most of the patients were male (83.3% and victims of a blunt chest trauma. The images were analyzed with respect to the presence of fractures of bony structures, hemothorax, pneumothorax, mediastinal organ injury, and pulmonary and vascular injuries. Results: MDCT images of the 240 patients yielded a prevalence of 41.7% rib fractures, 11.2% scapular fractures, and 7.5% clavicle fractures. The prevalence of thoracic vertebral fracture was 13.8% and that of sternal fracture was 3.8%. The prevalence of hemothorax, pneumothorax, pneumomediastinum, and subcutaneous emphysema was 34.6%, 62.1%, 9.6%, and 35.4%, respectively. The prevalence of rib, clavicle, and thoracic vertebral fractures and pulmonary contusion was higher in the blunt trauma group, whereas the prevalence of hemothorax, subcutaneous emphysema, diaphragmatic injury, and other vascular lacerations was significantly higher in the penetrating trauma group than in the blunt trauma group (p<0.05. Conclusion: MDCT images may yield a high prevalence of fracture of bony structures, soft tissue lacerations, and vascular lesions, which should be well understood by

  17. Diagnostic Accuracy of Ultrasonography in the Initial Evaluation of Patients with Penetrating Chest Trauma

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    Farhad Heydari

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Traumatic chest injuries (TCI are one of the most common causes of referring to the emergency departments, with high mortality and disability. This study was designed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of ultrasonography versus chest X ray (CXR in detection of hemo-pneumothorax for patients suffering penetrating TCI. Methods: The present cross-sectional study was performed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of ultrasonography in penetrating TCI victims referred to the emergency department of Shahid Kashani and Alzahra hospitals of Isfahan, Iran, from July 2012 to June 2013. Bedside ultrasonography and plain CXR was done on arrival and three hours after admission. The results of ultrasonography and radiography were separately evaluated by an emergency medicine specialist and a radiologist, who were blind to the aims of the study. Then, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV, negative predictive value (NPV, and kappa coefficient was considered to evaluate the accuracy of ultrasonography. Results: In this research 64 patients with penetrating chest trauma were assessed (98.4% male. The mean age of them was 25.6±8.5 years (rang: 13-65. The plain radiography revealed the eight (12.5 % cases of pneumothorax and one (1.6% hemothorax. The findings of primary ultrasonography also showed the same number of hemo-pneumothorax. Sensitivity and specificity of primary ultrasound in diagnosis of pneumothorax were 100% (95% Cl: 60.7- 100 and 100.0% (95% Cl, 92.0% to 100.0% and in detection of hemothorax were 100% (95% Cl: 50.5-100 and 100% (95% Cl: 92.8-100, respectively. Sensitivity and specificity of ultrasound in the third hour were 100% (95% Cl: 31.3-100 and 100% (95% Cl: 91.4-100, respectively. Conclusion: Findings of the present study have shown that ultrasonography has an acceptable diagnostic accuracy in the initial assessment of patients with penetrating chest trauma. However, because of its dependency on operator

  18. The effect of pre-injury anti-platelet therapy on the development of complications in isolated blunt chest wall trauma: a retrospective study.

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    Ceri Battle

    Full Text Available INTRODUCTION: The difficulties in the management of the blunt chest wall trauma patient in the Emergency Department due to the development of late complications are well recognised in the literature. Pre-injury anti-platelet therapy has been previously investigated as a risk factor for poor outcomes following traumatic head injury, but not in the blunt chest wall trauma patient cohort. The aim of this study was to investigate pre-injury anti-platelet therapy as a risk factor for the development of complications in the recovery phase following blunt chest wall trauma. METHODS: A retrospective study was completed in which the medical notes were analysed of all blunt chest wall trauma patients presenting to a large trauma centre in Wales in 2012 and 2013. Using univariate and multivariable logistic regression analysis, pre-injury platelet therapy was investigated as a risk factor for the development of complications following blunt chest wall trauma. Previously identified risk factors were included in the analysis to address the influence of confounding. RESULTS: A total of 1303 isolated blunt chest wall trauma patients presented to the ED in Morriston Hospital in 2012 and 2013 with complications recorded in 144 patients (11%. On multi-variable analysis, pre-injury anti-platelet therapy was found to be a significant risk factor for the development of complications following isolated blunt chest wall trauma (odds ratio: 16.9; 95% confidence intervals: 8.2-35.2. As in previous studies patient age, number of rib fractures, chronic lung disease and pre-injury anti-coagulant use were also found to be significant risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: Pre-injury anti-platelet therapy is being increasingly used as a first line treatment for a number of conditions and there is a concurrent increase in trauma in the elderly population. Pre-injury anti-platelet therapy should be considered as a risk factor for the development of complications by clinicians managing

  19. Computed tomography of the chest in blunt thoracic trauma: results of a prospective study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Blostein, P.; Hodgman, C.

    1998-01-01

    Blunt thoracic injuries detected by computed tomography of the chest infrequently require immediate therapy. If immediate therapy is needed, findings will be visible on plain roentgenograms or on clinical exam. Routine Computed Tomography of the chest in blunt trauma is not recommended but may be helpful in selected cases. (N.C.)

  20. First-line sonographic diagnosis of pneumothorax in major trauma: accuracy of e-FAST and comparison with multidetector computed tomography.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ianniello, Stefania; Di Giacomo, Vincenza; Sessa, Barbara; Miele, Vittorio

    2014-09-01

    Combined clinical examination and supine chest radiography have shown low accuracy in the assessment of pneumothorax in unstable patients with major chest trauma during the primary survey in the emergency room. The aim of our study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of extended-focused assessment with sonography in trauma (e-FAST), in the diagnosis of pneumothorax, compared with the results of multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) and of invasive interventions (thoracostomy tube placement). This was a retrospective case series involving 368 consecutive unstable adult patients (273 men and 95 women; average age, 25 years; range, 16-68 years) admitted to our hospital's emergency department between January 2011 and December 2012 for major trauma (Injury Severity Score ≥ 15). We evaluated the accuracy of thoracic ultrasound in the detection of pneumothorax compared with the results of MDCT and invasive interventions (thoracostomy tube placement). Institutional review board approval was obtained prior to commencement of this study. Among the 736 lung fields included in the study, 87 pneumothoraces were detected with thoracic CT scans (23.6%). e-FAST detected 67/87 and missed 20 pneumothoraces (17 mild, 3 moderate). The diagnostic performance of ultrasound was: sensitivity 77% (74% in 2011 and 80% in 2012), specificity 99.8%, positive predictive value 98.5%, negative predictive value 97%, accuracy 97.2% (67 true positive; 668 true negative; 1 false positive; 20 false negative); 17 missed mild pneumothoraces were not immediately life-threatening (thickness less than 5 mm). Thoracic ultrasound (e-FAST) is a rapid and accurate first-line, bedside diagnostic modality for the diagnosis of pneumothorax in unstable patients with major chest trauma during the primary survey in the emergency room.

  1. "Anterior convergent" chest probing in rapid ultrasound transducer positioning versus formal chest ultrasonography to detect pneumothorax during the primary survey of hospital trauma patients: a diagnostic accuracy study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ziapour, Behrad; Haji, Houman Seyedjavady

    2015-01-01

    Occult pneumothorax represents a diagnostic pitfall during the primary survey of trauma patients, particularly if these patients require early positive pressure ventilation. This study investigated the accuracy of our proposed rapid model of ultrasound transducer positioning during the primary survey of trauma patients after their arrival at the hospital. This diagnostic trial was conducted over 12 months and was based on the results of 84 ultrasound (US) exams performed on patients with severe multiple trauma. Our index test (US) was used to detect pneumothorax in four pre-defined locations on the anterior of each hemi-thorax using the "Anterior Convergent" approach, and its performance was limited to the primary survey. Consecutively, patients underwent chest-computed tomography (CT) with or without chest radiography. The diagnostic findings of both chest radiography and chest ultrasounds were compared to the gold-standard test (CT). The diagnostic sensitivity was 78 % for US and 36.4 % for chest radiography (p chest radiography (not significant); the positive predictive values were 74 % for US and 80 % for chest radiography (not significant); the negative predictive values were 94 % for US and 87 % for chest radiography (not significant); the positive likelihood ratio was 10 for US and 18 for chest radiography (p = 0.007); and the negative likelihood ratio was 0.25 for US and 0.65 for chest radiography (p = 0.001). The mean required time for performing the new method was 64 ± 10 s. An absence of the expected diffused dynamic view among ultrasound images obtained from patients with pneumothorax was also observed. We designated this phenomenon "Gestalt Lung Recession." "Anterior convergent" chest US probing represents a brief but efficient model that provides clinicians a safe and accurate exam and adequate resuscitation during critical minutes of the primary survey without interrupting other medical staff activities taking place around the

  2. Incidence and Imaging Findings of Costal Cartilage Fractures in Patients with Blunt Chest Trauma: A Retrospective Review of 1461 Consecutive Whole-Body CT Examinations for Trauma.

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    Nummela, Mari T; Bensch, Frank V; Pyhältö, Tuomo T; Koskinen, Seppo K

    2018-02-01

    Purpose To assess the incidence of costal cartilage (CC) fractures in whole-body computed tomographic (CT) examinations for blunt trauma and to evaluate distribution of CC fractures, concomitant injuries, mechanism of injury, accuracy of reporting, and the effect on 30-day mortality. Materials and Methods Institutional review board approval was obtained for this retrospective study. All whole-body CT examinations for blunt trauma over 36 months were reviewed retrospectively and chest trauma CT studies were evaluated by a second reader. Of 1461 patients who underwent a whole-body CT examination, 39% (574 of 1461) had signs of thoracic injuries (men, 74.0% [425 of 574]; mean age, 46.6 years; women, 26.0% [149 of 574]; mean age, 48.9 years). χ 2 and odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. Interobserver agreement was calculated by using Cohen kappa values. Results A total of 114 patients (men, 86.8% [99 of 114]; mean age, 48.6 years; women, 13.2% [15 of 114]; mean age, 45.1 years) had 221 CC fractures. The incidence was 7.8% (114 of 1461) in all whole-body CT examinations and 19.9% (114 of 574) in patients with thoracic trauma. Cartilage of rib 7 (21.3%, 47 of 221) was most commonly injured. Bilateral multiple consecutive rib fractures occurred in 36% (41 of 114) versus 14% (64 of 460) in other patients with chest trauma (OR, 3.48; 95% CI: 2.18, 5.53; P chest trauma with CC fractures (13%, 15 of 114) versus patients with chest trauma without CC fractures (4%, 18 of 460) (OR, 3.72; 95% CI: 1.81, 7.64; P = .0001), as well as aortic injuries (n = 4 vs n = 0; P = .0015; OR, unavailable). Kappa value for interobserver agreement in detecting CC fractures was 0.65 (substantial agreement). CC fractures were documented in 39.5% (45 of 114) of primary reports. The 30-day mortality of patients with CC fractures was 7.02% (eight of 114) versus 4.78% (22 of 460) of other patients with chest trauma (OR, 1.50; 95% CI: 0.65, 3.47; P = .3371). Conclusion

  3. Concomitant aortic valve and internal mammary artery injuries in blunt chest trauma: report of a case.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yeh, Chun-Chieh; Hsieh, Chi-Hsun; Wang, Yu-Chun; Chung, Ping-Kuei; Chen, Ray-Jade

    2009-01-01

    We report a case of concomitant injury to the aortic valve and internal mammary artery (IMA) from nonpenetrating chest trauma. To our knowledge, this is the first such case to be reported. Transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) following diagnostic angiography offers an effective and minimally invasive treatment for traumatic IMA injuries. Because there might be an asymptomatic interval after traumatic aortic valve injuries, serial physical examinations and repeated echocardiography should be mandatory for patients with de novo heart failure after blunt chest trauma. Transesophageal echocardiography can provide a clearer image of cardiac injuries than transthoracic echocardiography, particularly if there is extensive anterior mediastinal hematoma resulting from IMA trauma.

  4. Surgical management for the first 48 h following blunt chest trauma: state of the art (excluding vascular injuries).

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Lesquen, Henri; Avaro, Jean-Philippe; Gust, Lucile; Ford, Robert Michael; Beranger, Fabien; Natale, Claudia; Bonnet, Pierre-Mathieu; D'Journo, Xavier-Benoît

    2015-03-01

    -threatening situations requiring prompt diagnosis and surgical advice. (Grades C and D). Tracheobronchial repair is mandatory in cases of tracheal tear >2 cm, oesophageal prolapse, mediastinitis or massive air leakage (Grade C). These evidence-based surgical indications for BCT management should support protocols for chest trauma management. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. All rights reserved.

  5. Pleuritic Chest Pain: Sorting Through the Differential Diagnosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reamy, Brian V; Williams, Pamela M; Odom, Michael Ryan

    2017-09-01

    Pleuritic chest pain is characterized by sudden and intense sharp, stabbing, or burning pain in the chest when inhaling and exhaling. Pulmonary embolism is the most common serious cause, found in 5% to 21% of patients who present to an emergency department with pleuritic chest pain. A validated clinical decision rule for pulmonary embolism should be employed to guide the use of additional tests such as d-dimer assays, ventilation-perfusion scans, or computed tomography angiography. Myocardial infarction, pericarditis, aortic dissection, pneumonia, and pneumothorax are other serious causes that should be ruled out using history and physical examination, electrocardiography, troponin assays, and chest radiography before another diagnosis is made. Validated clinical decision rules are available to help exclude coronary artery disease. Viruses are common causative agents of pleuritic chest pain. Coxsackieviruses, respiratory syncytial virus, influenza, parainfluenza, mumps, adenovirus, cytomegalovirus, and Epstein-Barr virus are likely pathogens. Treatment is guided by the underlying diagnosis. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are appropriate for pain management in those with virally triggered or nonspecific pleuritic chest pain. In patients with persistent symptoms, persons who smoke, and those older than 50 years with pneumonia, it is important to document radiographic resolution with repeat chest radiography six weeks after initial treatment.

  6. Prevalence and Clinical Import of Thoracic Injury Identified by Chest Computed Tomography but Not Chest Radiography in Blunt Trauma: Multicenter Prospective Cohort Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Langdorf, Mark I; Medak, Anthony J; Hendey, Gregory W; Nishijima, Daniel K; Mower, William R; Raja, Ali S; Baumann, Brigitte M; Anglin, Deirdre R; Anderson, Craig L; Lotfipour, Shahram; Reed, Karin E; Zuabi, Nadia; Khan, Nooreen A; Bithell, Chelsey A; Rowther, Armaan A; Villar, Julian; Rodriguez, Robert M

    2015-12-01

    Chest computed tomography (CT) diagnoses more injuries than chest radiography, so-called occult injuries. Wide availability of chest CT has driven substantial increase in emergency department use, although the incidence and clinical significance of chest CT findings have not been fully described. We determine the frequency, severity, and clinical import of occult injury, as determined by changes in management. These data will better inform clinical decisions, need for chest CT, and odds of intervention. Our sample included prospective data (2009 to 2013) on 5,912 patients at 10 Level I trauma center EDs with both chest radiography and chest CT at physician discretion. These patients were 40.6% of 14,553 enrolled in the parent study who had either chest radiography or chest CT. Occult injuries were pneumothorax, hemothorax, sternal or greater than 2 rib fractures, pulmonary contusion, thoracic spine or scapula fracture, and diaphragm or great vessel injury found on chest CT but not on preceding chest radiography. A priori, we categorized thoracic injuries as major (having invasive procedures), minor (observation or inpatient pain control >24 hours), or of no clinical significance. Primary outcome was prevalence and proportion of occult injury with major interventions of chest tube, mechanical ventilation, or surgery. Secondary outcome was minor interventions of admission rate or observation hours because of occult injury. Two thousand forty-eight patients (34.6%) had chest injury on chest radiography or chest CT, whereas 1,454 of these patients (71.0%, 24.6% of all patients) had occult injury. Of these, in 954 patients (46.6% of injured, 16.1% of total), chest CT found injuries not observed on immediately preceding chest radiography. In 500 more patients (24.4% of injured patients, 8.5% of all patients), chest radiography found some injury, but chest CT found occult injury. Chest radiography found all injuries in only 29.0% of injured patients. Two hundred and two

  7. Pleural ultrasonography versus chest radiography for the diagnosis of pneumothorax: review of the literature and meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alrajab, Saadah; Youssef, Asser M; Akkus, Nuri I; Caldito, Gloria

    2013-09-23

    Ultrasonography is being increasingly utilized in acute care settings with expanding applications. Pneumothorax evaluation by ultrasonography is a fast, safe, easy and inexpensive alternative to chest radiographs. In this review, we provide a comprehensive analysis of the current literature comparing ultrasonography and chest radiography for the diagnosis of pneumothorax. We searched English-language articles in MEDLINE, EMBASE and Cochrane Library dealing with both ultrasonography and chest radiography for diagnosis of pneumothorax. In eligible studies that met strict inclusion criteria, we conducted a meta-analysis to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of pleural ultrasonography in comparison with chest radiography for the diagnosis of pneumothorax. We reviewed 601 articles and selected 25 original research articles for detailed review. Only 13 articles met all of our inclusion criteria and were included in the final analysis. One study used lung sliding sign alone, 12 studies used lung sliding and comet tail signs, and 6 studies searched for lung point in addition to the other two signs. Ultrasonography had a pooled sensitivity of 78.6% (95% CI, 68.1 to 98.1) and a specificity of 98.4% (95% CI, 97.3 to 99.5). Chest radiography had a pooled sensitivity of 39.8% (95% CI, 29.4 to 50.3) and a specificity of 99.3% (95% CI, 98.4 to 100). Our meta-regression and subgroup analyses indicate that consecutive sampling of patients compared to convenience sampling provided higher sensitivity results for both ultrasonography and chest radiography. Consecutive versus nonconsecutive sampling and trauma versus nontrauma settings were significant sources of heterogeneity. In addition, subgroup analysis showed significant variations related to operator and type of probe used. Our study indicates that ultrasonography is more accurate than chest radiography for detection of pneumothorax. The results support the previous investigations in this field, add new valuable information

  8. CIVILIAN GUNSHOT WOUNDS TO THE CHEST: A CLINICOPATHOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF AN ANNUAL CASELOAD AT A LEVEL 1 TRAUMA CENTRE.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meijering, V M; Hattam, A T; Navsaria, P H; Nicol, A J; Edu, S

    2017-06-01

    Gunshot wounds (GSW) to the chest are common presentations to trauma centres in South Africa. The clinical management and outcome of GSW to the chest are significantly altered by missile trajectory and the associated anatomical structures injured making them challenging injuries to treat. Currently, the management of GSW chest is based on scant evidence and treatment is typically according to algorithms based largely on the anecdotal experience of high volume institutions and experienced clinicians. Ethical approval was obtained for this study. The Electronic Trauma Health Registry (eTHR) Application of the Trauma Centre at Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town was interrogated for the year 2015 for all patients with GSW chest. The data was then analysed using descriptive statistics. A total of 141 patients with GSW to the chest were admitted to the Trauma Centre with a median age of 26 years. More than half of the patients, 53. 2% (n = 75) sustained an isolated GSW to the chest. Overall, 29.1% (n = 41) patients sustained a thoracoabdominal injury, which accounts for a significant higher amount of emergency surgeries compared to patients with non thoracoabdominal injuries (54% vs 15%, p = chest surgery of which 5 patients survived. Overall mortality was 7.1% (n = 10) of which 5 patients died from a thoracic cause. Civilian GSW to the chest are common injuries seen in Cape Town, often with concomitant injuries leading to increased morbidity. Significantly more emergency surgeries were done in patients with thoracoabdominal injury. Overall few patients needed chest-related emergency operative intervention (9.2%) with a survival rate of 38.5%. Overall mortality of patients with GSW chest who reached the hospital was 7.1% of whom 50% died from a thoracic cause.

  9. Ruptura do septo interventricular após trauma torácico fechado Ventricular septal rupture following blunt chest trauma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ronaldo Peixoto de Mello

    2006-12-01

    Full Text Available Relatamos a seguir um caso de ruptura do septo interventricular após trauma torácico automobilístico com evolução relativamente benigna a despeito da extensão da lesão anatômica.We report a case of ventricular septal rupture following chest trauma resulting from a car accident. The outcome was relatively favorable despite the extension of the anatomic lesion.

  10. Paediatric chest wall trauma causing delayed presentation of ventricular arrhythmia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tegethoff, Angela M; Raney, Emerald; Mendelson, Jenny; Minckler, Michael R

    2017-07-24

    This report describes a paediatric patient presenting with haemodynamically stable non-sustained ventricular tachycardia 1 day after minor blunt chest trauma. Initial laboratory studies, chest X-ray and echocardiography were normal; however, cardiac MRI revealed precordial haematoma, myocardial contusion and small pericardial effusion. Throughout her hospital course, she remained asymptomatic aside from frequent couplets and triplets of premature ventricular contractions. Ectopy was controlled with oral verapamil. This case highlights how significant cardiac injury may be missed with standard diagnostic algorithms. © BMJ Publishing Group Ltd (unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

  11. Traumatic aortic injury score (TRAINS): an easy and simple score for early detection of traumatic aortic injuries in major trauma patients with associated blunt chest trauma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mosquera, Victor X; Marini, Milagros; Muñiz, Javier; Asorey-Veiga, Vanesa; Adrio-Nazar, Belen; Boix, Ricardo; Lopez-Perez, José M; Pradas-Montilla, Gonzalo; Cuenca, José J

    2012-09-01

    To develop a risk score based on physical examination and chest X-ray findings to rapidly identify major trauma patients at risk of acute traumatic aortic injury (ATAI). A multicenter retrospective study was conducted with 640 major trauma patients with associated blunt chest trauma classified into ATAI (aortic injury) and NATAI (no aortic injury) groups. The score data set included 76 consecutive ATAI and 304 NATAI patients from a single center, whereas the validation data set included 52 consecutive ATAI and 208 NATAI patients from three independent institutions. Bivariate analysis identified variables potentially influencing the presentation of aortic injury. Confirmed variables by logistic regression were assigned a score according to their corresponding beta coefficient which was rounded to the closest integer value (1-4). Predictors of aortic injury included widened mediastinum, hypotension less than 90 mmHg, long bone fracture, pulmonary contusion, left scapula fracture, hemothorax, and pelvic fracture. Area under receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.96. In the score data set, sensitivity was 93.42 %, specificity 85.85 %, Youden's index 0.79, positive likelihood ratio 6.60, and negative likelihood ratio 0.08. In the validation data set, sensitivity was 92.31 % and specificity 85.1 %. Given the relative infrequency of traumatic aortic injury, which often leads to missed or delayed diagnosis, application of our score has the potential to draw necessary clinical attention to the possibility of aortic injury, thus providing the chance of a prompt specific diagnostic and therapeutic management.

  12. Imaging of Combat-Related Thoracic Trauma - Blunt Trauma and Blast Lung Injury.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lichtenberger, John P; Kim, Andrew M; Fisher, Dane; Tatum, Peter S; Neubauer, Brian; Peterson, P Gabriel; Carter, Brett W

    2018-03-01

    respect the anatomic boundaries of the affected lobes. Additionally, small pulmonary contusions may exhibit sub-pleural sparing and may distinguish contusion from pneumonia or other lung pathology. Although pulmonary laceration is typically the result of penetrating trauma, laceration may also be caused by displaced rib fractures or significant shearing forces on the lung without penetrating injury. Because of elastic recoil of the normal pulmonary parenchyma surrounding the injury, pulmonary lacerations may present as late as 48-72 h after injury. Pulmonary lacerations may appear similar to pulmonary contusions on chest radiography initially and will require MDCT for definitive diagnosis. Blast injury is a defining injury of modern combat. Blast lung injury is initially diagnosed with chest radiography, where the pattern of lung opacities has previously been described by clinicians as "batwing" or "butterfly" because of its central appearance in the lung. "Peribronchovascular" may be a more accurate description of primary blast lung based on its appearance on MDCT. This pattern may differentiate primary blast lung injury from other causes of thoracic trauma. CRTT continues to be a significant contributor to the morbidity and mortality of those injured during OEF and OIF. The distinct injury patterns and atypical imaging manifestations of blunt trauma and blast lung injury are important to recognize early because of the acuity of this patient population and the influence of accurate diagnosis on clinical management.

  13. Chest trauma experience over eleven-year period at al-mouassat university teaching hospital-Damascus: a retrospective review of 888 cases

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Al-Koudmani Ibrahim

    2012-04-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Thoracic trauma is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in developing countries. In this study, we present our 11-year experience in the management and clinical outcome of 888 chest trauma cases as a result of blunt and penetrating injuries in our university hospital in Damascus, Syria. Methods We reviewed files of 888 consequent cases of chest trauma between January 2000 and January 2011. The mean age of our patients was 31 ± 17 years mostly males with blunt injuries. Patients were evaluated and compared according to age, gender, etiology of trauma, thoracic and extra-thoracic injuries, complications, and mortality. Results The leading cause of the trauma was violence (41% followed by traffic accidents (33%. Pneumothorax (51%, Hemothorax (38%, rib fractures (34%, and lung contusion (15% were the most common types of injury. Associated injuries were documented in 36% of patients (extremities 19%, abdomen 13%, head 8%. A minority of the patients required thoracotomy (5.7%, and tube thoracostomy (56% was sufficient to manage the majority of cases. Mean hospital LOS was 4.5 ± 4.6 days. The overall mortoality rate was 1.8%, and morbidity (n = 78, 8.7%. Conclusions New traffic laws (including seat belt enforcement reduced incidence and severity of chest trauma in Syria. Violence was the most common cause of chest trauma rather than road traffic accidents in this series, this necessitates epidemiologic or multi-institutional studies to know to which degree violence contributes to chest trauma in Syria. The number of fractured ribs can be used as simple indicator of the severity of trauma. And we believe that significant neurotrauma, traffic accidents, hemodynamic status and GCS upon arrival, ICU admission, ventilator use, and complication of therapy are predictors of dismal prognosis.

  14. Chest trauma experience over eleven-year period at al-mouassat university teaching hospital-Damascus: a retrospective review of 888 cases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al-Koudmani, Ibrahim; Darwish, Bassam; Al-Kateb, Kamal; Taifour, Yahia

    2012-04-19

    Thoracic trauma is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in developing countries. In this study, we present our 11-year experience in the management and clinical outcome of 888 chest trauma cases as a result of blunt and penetrating injuries in our university hospital in Damascus, Syria. We reviewed files of 888 consequent cases of chest trauma between January 2000 and January 2011. The mean age of our patients was 31 ± 17 years mostly males with blunt injuries. Patients were evaluated and compared according to age, gender, etiology of trauma, thoracic and extra-thoracic injuries, complications, and mortality. The leading cause of the trauma was violence (41%) followed by traffic accidents (33%). Pneumothorax (51%), Hemothorax (38%), rib fractures (34%), and lung contusion (15%) were the most common types of injury. Associated injuries were documented in 36% of patients (extremities 19%, abdomen 13%, head 8%). A minority of the patients required thoracotomy (5.7%), and tube thoracostomy (56%) was sufficient to manage the majority of cases. Mean hospital LOS was 4.5 ± 4.6 days. The overall mortoality rate was 1.8%, and morbidity (n = 78, 8.7%). New traffic laws (including seat belt enforcement) reduced incidence and severity of chest trauma in Syria. Violence was the most common cause of chest trauma rather than road traffic accidents in this series, this necessitates epidemiologic or multi-institutional studies to know to which degree violence contributes to chest trauma in Syria. The number of fractured ribs can be used as simple indicator of the severity of trauma. And we believe that significant neurotrauma, traffic accidents, hemodynamic status and GCS upon arrival, ICU admission, ventilator use, and complication of therapy are predictors of dismal prognosis.

  15. Traumatic Pulmonary Herniation at the Diaphragmatic Junction in a Pediatric Patient: A Rare Complication of Blunt Chest Trauma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Orlik, Kseniya; Simon, Erin Leslie; Hemmer, Carrie; Ramundo, Maria

    2016-07-01

    We present a case of traumatic intercostal pulmonary herniation in an 11-year-old boy after blunt trauma to the chest, without associated chest wall disruption or pneumothorax. This condition is especially uncommon in children, with only 5 previously reported cases and most occurring after penetrating chest trauma. To date, there are no reports in literature describing traumatic intercostal lung herniation at the diaphragmatic junction with a closed chest cavity in a child. The number of traumatic lung herniation diagnoses may be expanded by a more liberal use of computed tomography when serious injury is suspected. Computed tomography and advanced imaging should be considered in pediatric trauma patients presenting with concern for intrathoracic injury that may not be seen on plain film. Traumatic blunt intrathoracic and intra-abdominal injuries in the pediatric population that are within proximity of diaphragmatic insertion should be thoroughly evaluated to rule out diaphragmatic injury. As in our case, invasive surgical intervention such as thoracoscopy may be necessary.

  16. Large pneumothorax in blunt chest trauma: Is a chest drain always necessary in stable patients? A case report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Idris, Baig M; Hefny, Ashraf F

    2016-01-01

    Pneumothorax is the most common potentially life-threatening blunt chest injury. The management of pneumothorax depends upon the etiology, its size and hemodynamic stability of the patient. Most clinicians agree that chest drainage is essential for the management of traumatic large pneumothorax. Herein, we present a case of large pneumothorax in blunt chest trauma patient that resolved spontaneously without a chest drain. A 63- year- old man presented to the Emergency Department complaining of left lateral chest pain due to a fall on his chest at home. On examination, he was hemodynamically stable. An urgent chest X-ray showed evidence of left sided pneumothorax. CT scan of the chest showed pneumothorax of more than 30% of the left hemithorax (around 600ml of air) with multiple left ribs fracture. Patient refused tube thoracostomy and was admitted to surgical department for close observation. The patient was managed conservatively without chest tube insertion. A repeat CT scan of the chest has shown complete resolution of the pneumothorax. The clinical spectrum of pneumothorax varies from asymptomatic to life threatening tension pneumothorax. In stable patients, conservative management can be safe and effective for small pneumothorax. To the best of our knowledge, this is the second reported case in the English literature with large pneumothorax which resolved spontaneously without chest drain. Blunt traumatic large pneumothorax in a clinically stable patient can be managed conservatively. Current recommendations for tube placement may need to be reevaluated. This may reduce morbidity associated with chest tube thoracostomy. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  17. Profile of chest trauma in Zaria Nigeria: A prelminary report

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S A Edaigbini

    2011-01-01

    Materials and Methods A prospective study of trauma patients admitted to Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital through the Accident and Emergency units was commenced in January 2008.This preliminary report is for the period of 27months.The clinical history, physical examination and outcome of management recorded in a predesigned proforma, were analysed with SPSS 15 and the patients were followed up in the surgical outpatient department. Results A total of 4784 patients (3143 men and 1641 women were admitted during this period for trauma. There were a total of 628(13.13% deaths. Of the 42 consecutive patients identified with chest trauma35 (83.3% were males and 7(16.7% were females. The age range was from 5-75years and the mean age was 35.4years, while the most affected ages were in the range of 20 to 49years. Blunt injury constituted 71.4% and penetrating injury constituted 28.6%. Road traffic accident was responsible for 61.9%, stab injury 21.4%, falls 7.1%, gunshot injury 4.8%, impalement 2.4% and animal attack also 2.4%. The average time taken between accident and admission was 31hours,40minutes and 12seconds while the average duration of hospital stay was 16.10 days. The injury pattern included rib fracture(s (23.8%, hemopneumothorax (14.3%, hemothorax (7.1%, pneumothorax (4.8%, combinations of chest injuries (7.1%, chest laceration 7.1%, bruises 11.9%, lung contusion 4.8%, subcutaneous empyema 2.4%, flail chest 4.8% and no specific injury (11.9%. Associated injuries included head injury (63.6%, orthopaedic injury (27.3% and combinations (abdominal, head, orthopaedic (9.1%. The fatality of road traffic accident was 36.8%. No patient was attended to by paramedics at the scene of accident while 21.9% of the patients had pre-hospital resuscitation in peripheral clinics before admission. The transfusion requirement was 14.3%. One patient (2.4% required a median sternotomy and cardiopulmonary bypass, 54.8% required tube thoracostomy while 42.9% had general

  18. Mitral Perivalvular Leak after Blunt Chest Trauma: A Rare Cause of Severe Subacute Mitral Regurgitation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marchese, Nicola; Facciorusso, Antonio; Vigna, Carlo

    2015-12-01

    Blunt chest trauma is a very rare cause of valve disorder. Moreover, mitral valve involvement is less frequent than is aortic or tricuspid valve involvement, and the clinical course is usually acute. In the present report, we describe the case of a 49-year-old man with a perivalvular mitral injury that became clinically manifest one year after a violent, nonpenetrating chest injury. This case is atypical in regard to the valve involved (isolated mitral damage), the injury type (perivalvular leak in the absence of subvalvular abnormalities), and the clinical course (interval of one year between trauma and symptoms).

  19. Early detection of thoracic spine fracture in the multiple-trauma patient: Findings on the initial anteroposterior chest radiograph

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lawrason, J.N.; Novelline, R.A.; Rhea, J.T.; DeLuca, S.A.; Sacknoff, R.

    1987-01-01

    In the unconscious, multiple-trauma patient, thoracic spine fractures may be initially overlooked due to a combination of immediate concern given to more obvious injuries and a failure to carefully scrutinize the initial, often anteroposterior (AP) and portable chest radiograph. In a recent review of their cases the authors retrospectively identified primary or secondary signs of thoracic spine fracture in 80% of the initial chest radiographs of multiple-trauma patients with this injury. This paper reviews these obvious and subtle, bony and soft-tissue AP chest radiograph signs of thoracic spine fracture and compare them with matching spine radiographs, tomography, and CT

  20. Diagnostic significance of rib series in minor thorax trauma compared to plain chest film and computed tomography.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoffstetter, Patrick; Dornia, Christian; Schäfer, Stephan; Wagner, Merle; Dendl, Lena M; Stroszczynski, Christian; Schreyer, Andreas G

    2014-01-01

    Rib series (RS) are a special radiological technique to improve the visualization of the bony parts of the chest. The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of rib series in minor thorax trauma. Retrospective study of 56 patients who received RS, 39 patients where additionally evaluated by plain chest film (PCF). All patients underwent a computed tomography (CT) of the chest. RS and PCF were re-read independently by three radiologists, the results were compared with the CT as goldstandard. Sensitivity, specificity, negative and positive predictive value were calculated. Significance in the differences of findings was determined by McNemar test, interobserver variability by Cohens kappa test. 56 patients were evaluated (34 men, 22 women, mean age =61 y.). In 22 patients one or more rib fracture could be identified by CT. In 18 of these cases (82%) the correct diagnosis was made by RS, in 16 cases (73%) the correct number of involved ribs was detected. These differences were significant (p = 0.03). Specificity was 100%, negative and positive predictive value were 85% and 100%. Kappa values for the interobserver agreement was 0.92-0.96. Sensitivity of PCF was 46% and was significantly lower (p = 0.008) compared to CT. Rib series does not seem to be an useful examination in evaluating minor thorax trauma. CT seems to be the method of choice to detect rib fractures, but the clinical value of the radiological proof has to be discussed and investigated in larger follow up studies.

  1. Evaluation of chest and abdominal injuries in trauma patients hospitalized in the surgery ward of poursina teaching hospital, guilan, iran.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hemmati, Hossein; Kazemnezhad-Leili, Ehsan; Mohtasham-Amiri, Zahra; Darzi, Ali Asghar; Davoudi-Kiakalayeh, Ali; Dehnadi-Moghaddam, Anoush; Kouchakinejad-Eramsadati, Leila

    2013-01-01

    Trauma, especially chest and abdominal trauma are increasing due to the growing number of vehicles on the roads, which leads to an increased incidence of road accidents. Urbanization, industrialization and additional problems are the other associated factors which accelerate this phenomenon. A better understanding of the etiology and pattern of such injuries can help to improve the management and ultimate the outcomes of these patients. This study aimed to evaluate the patients with chest and abdominal trauma hospitalized in the surgery ward of Poursina teaching hospital, Guilan, Iran. In this cross-sectional study, the data of all chest and abdominal trauma patients hospitalized in the surgery ward of Poursina teaching hospital were collected from March 2011 to March 2012. Information about age, gender, injured areas, type of injury (penetrating or blunt), etiology of the injury, accident location (urban or rural) and patients' discharge outcomes were collected by a questionnaire. In total, 211 patients with a mean age of 34.1 ± 1.68 years was entered into the study. The most common cause of trauma was traffic accidents (51.7%). Among patients with chest trauma, 45 cases (35.4%) had penetrating injuries and 82 cases (64.6%) blunt lesions. The prevalence of chest injuries was 35.5% and rib fractures 26.5%. In chest injuries, the prevalence of hemothorax was 65.3%, pneumothorax 2.7%, lung contusion 4% and emphysema 1.3%, respectively. There were 24 cases (27.9%) with abdominal trauma which had penetrating lesions and 62 cases (72.1%) with blunt lesions. The most common lesions in patients with penetrating abdominal injuries were spleen (24.2%) and liver (12.1%) lesions. The outcomes of the patients were as follow: 95.7% recovery and 4.3% death. The majority of deaths were observed among road traffic victims (77.7%). Considering the fact that road-related accidents are quite predictable and controllable; therefore, the quality promotion of traumatic patients' care

  2. Chest wall stabilization in trauma patients: why, when, and how?

    Science.gov (United States)

    White, Thomas W.

    2018-01-01

    Blunt trauma to the chest wall and rib fractures are remarkably frequent and are the basis of considerable morbidity and possible mortality. Surgical remedies for highly displaced rib fractures, especially in cases of flail chest, have been undertaken intermittently for more than 50 years. Rib-specific plating systems have started to be used in the last 10 years. These have ushered in the modern era of rib repair with chest wall stabilization (CWS) techniques that are safer, easier to perform, and more efficient. Recent consensus statements have sought to define the indications and contraindications, as well as the when, the how, and the technical details of CWS. Repair should be considered for patients who have three or more displaced rib fractures or a flail chest, whether or not mechanical ventilation is required. Additional candidates include patients who fail non-operative management irrespective of fracture pattern and those with rib fractures who need thoracic procedures for other reasons. Traditionally, unstable spine fracture and severe traumatic brain injury are definite contraindications. Pulmonary contusion’s role in the decision to perform CWS remains controversial. A range of rib-specific plating systems are now commercially available. PMID:29744222

  3. Multi-Detector CT Findings of Palpable Chest Wall Masses in Children: A Pictorial Essay

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Park, Chan Ho; Kim, Young Tong [Dept. of Radiology, Soonchunhyang University College of Medicine, Cheonan Hospital, Cheonan (Korea, Republic of); Hong, Hyun Sook [Dept. of Radiology, Soonchunhyang University College of Medicine, Bucheon Hospital, Bucheon (Korea, Republic of)

    2013-03-15

    A wide variety of diseases manifest as palpable chest wall masses in children. These include normal variation, congenital anomalies, trauma, infection, axillary lymphadenopathies, soft tissue tumors and bone tumors. Given that most of these diseases are associated with chest wall deformity, diagnosis is difficult by physical examination or ultrasonography alone. However, multi-detector CT with three dimensional reconstruction is useful in the characterization and differential diagnosis of palpable chest wall lesions. In this article, we review the spectrum of palpable chest wall diseases and illustrate their multi-detector CT presentation.

  4. Thoracic splenosis as a differential diagnosis of juxtapleural nodules

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    B. Lopes

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Thoracic splenosis is rare and consists of ectopic implantation of splenic tissue into the chest after concomitant thoracic and abdominal trauma with diaphragm injury. It occurs in about 18% of cases of splenic ruptures. In almost all cases, diagnosis is given incidentally once patients are usually asymptomatic. Thoracic splenosis should be considered as a differential diagnosis in all patients with history of trauma presenting with juxtapleural nodules in chest computed tomography. However, malignant conditions should be ruled out firstly. Biopsy is not essential for the diagnosis once nuclear medicine can confirm splenosis in patients with pertinent history of trauma and suggestive tomographic image. We present a typical case of thoracic splenosis whose diagnosis was made by nuclear medicine and no invasive procedures were required.

  5. Dual-source CT in chest pain diagnosis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Johnson, Thorsten R.C.; Nikolaou, K.; Fink, C.; Rist, C.; Reiser, M.F.; Becker, C.R.; Becker, A.; Knez, A.

    2007-01-01

    With the depiction of pulmonary arteries, coronary arteries, and the aorta, CT angiography of the chest offers a comprehensive diagnostic work-up of unclear chest pain. The aim of this study was to assess the diagnostic accuracy of dual-source CT in this patient group. A total of 47 patients suffering from unclear chest pain were examined with a Siemens Somatom Definition. Volume and flow of contrast media (Ultravist, Schering) were adapted to the body weight. The examinations were evaluated with regard to image quality and contrast opacification and to the diagnostic accuracy with reference to the final clinical diagnosis. Adequate contrast opacification was achieved in all examinations. The depiction of the coronary arteries was diagnostic in all cases. The cause of chest pain could be identified in 41 cases. Among the diagnoses were coronary and myocardial pathologies, valvular disease, aortic aneurysms and dissections, pulmonary embolism, and pneumonic consolidation. DSCT angiography of the chest offers a very good image quality even at high heart rates so that a high diagnostic accuracy is achieved in patients with acute chest pain. (orig.) [de

  6. Noncardiac chest pain: diagnosis and management.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yamasaki, Takahisa; Fass, Ronnie

    2017-07-01

    Noncardiac chest pain (NCCP) has been defined as recurrent chest pain that is indistinguishable from ischemic heart pain after excluding a cardiac cause. NCCP is a common and highly challenging clinical problem in Gastrointestinal practice that requires targeted diagnostic assessment to identify the underlying cause of the symptoms. Treatment is tailored according to the cause of NCCP: gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), esophageal dysmotility or functional chest pain. The purpose of this review is to discuss the current diagnosis and treatment of NCCP. Utilization of new diagnostic techniques such as pH-impedance and high-resolution esophageal manometry, and the introduction of a new definition for functional chest pain have helped to better diagnose the underlying mechanisms of NCCP. A better therapeutic approach toward GERD-related NCCP, the introduction of new interventions for symptoms due to esophageal spastic motor disorders and the expansion of the neuromodulator armamentarium for functional chest pain have changed the treatment landscape of NCCP. GERD is the most common esophageal cause of NCCP, followed by functional chest pain and esophageal dysmotility. The proton pump inhibitor test, upper endoscopy, wireless pH capsule and pH-impedance are used to identify GERD-induced NCCP. High-resolution esophageal manometry is the main tool to identify esophageal motor disorder in non-GERD-related NCCP. Negative diagnostic assessment suggests functional chest pain. Potent antireflux treatment is offered to patients with GERD-related NCCP; medical, endoscopic or surgical interventions are considered in esophageal dysmotility; and neuromodulators are prescribed for functional chest pain. Assessment and treatment of psychological comorbidity should be considered in all NCCP patients.

  7. Measurement of hemothorax amount in patients with non-penetrating chest trauma by supine chest AP radiograph

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Han, Heon; Yang, Joo Hyun; Na, Myung Hoon; Baik, Hee Jong

    1994-01-01

    To evaluate the predictability of amount of hemothorax in the patients with blunt chest trauma, supine chest AP radiographs of 66 patients were reviewed and statistically analyzed. In 66 patients, rib fractures were present in 53 patients, hemothorax in 46 patients, pneumothorax in 25 patients, and pulmonary contusions in 18 patients. Width and length of hemothorax were measured on supine chest AP radiograph, and were correlated with known drained amount of hemothorax. The presence and number of rib fracture, pulmonary contusion, subcutaneous emphysema, fracture of scapula and clavicle, and total opacification of hemithorax were also correlated with the drained amount of hemothorax. In multiple logistic regression analysis, width of hemothorax had the highest correlation with drained amount of hemothorax(regression coeffcient 0.718, p value 0.00005). The presence and number of rib fracture, scapular fracture, subcutaneous emphysema were also correlated with drained amount of hemothorax. But length of hemothorax, pulmonary contusion, clavicular fracture, total opacification of hemithorax were not correlated with drained amount of hemothorax. Measured width of hemothorax in supine chest AP radiograph is the most reliable predictor for estimation of the amount of hemothorax, and may also be used as an indication for the application of closed thoracostomy in the treatment of hemothorax

  8. Measurement of hemothorax amount in patients with non-penetrating chest trauma by supine chest AP radiograph

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Han, Heon; Yang, Joo Hyun; Na, Myung Hoon; Baik, Hee Jong [Chung-Ang Gil Hospital, Incheon (Korea, Republic of)

    1994-10-15

    To evaluate the predictability of amount of hemothorax in the patients with blunt chest trauma, supine chest AP radiographs of 66 patients were reviewed and statistically analyzed. In 66 patients, rib fractures were present in 53 patients, hemothorax in 46 patients, pneumothorax in 25 patients, and pulmonary contusions in 18 patients. Width and length of hemothorax were measured on supine chest AP radiograph, and were correlated with known drained amount of hemothorax. The presence and number of rib fracture, pulmonary contusion, subcutaneous emphysema, fracture of scapula and clavicle, and total opacification of hemithorax were also correlated with the drained amount of hemothorax. In multiple logistic regression analysis, width of hemothorax had the highest correlation with drained amount of hemothorax(regression coeffcient 0.718, p value 0.00005). The presence and number of rib fracture, scapular fracture, subcutaneous emphysema were also correlated with drained amount of hemothorax. But length of hemothorax, pulmonary contusion, clavicular fracture, total opacification of hemithorax were not correlated with drained amount of hemothorax. Measured width of hemothorax in supine chest AP radiograph is the most reliable predictor for estimation of the amount of hemothorax, and may also be used as an indication for the application of closed thoracostomy in the treatment of hemothorax.

  9. Prehospital endotracheal intubation and chest tubing does not prolong the overall resuscitation time of severely injured patients: a retrospective, multicentre study of the Trauma Registry of the German Society of Trauma Surgery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kulla, Martin; Helm, Matthias; Lefering, Rolf; Walcher, Felix

    2012-06-01

    The aim of this study was to determine whether prehospital endotracheal intubation (ETI) and chest tube placement is unnecessarily time consuming in severely injured patients. A retrospective, multicentre study including all adult patients (ISS ≥9; 2002-7) of the Trauma Registry of the German Society of Trauma Surgery who were not secondarily transferred to a trauma centre and received a definitive airway and a chest tube. Creating four groups: AA (n=963) receiving ETI and chest tube on scene, AB (n=1547) ETI performed in the prehospital setting but chest tubing later in the emergency department (ED) and BB (n=640) receiving both procedures in the ED. The BA collective (ETI performed in the ED, but chest tubing on scene) was excluded from the study because of the small sample size (n=41). The trauma resuscitation time (TRT), demographic data, injuries, treatment and outcome of the remaining three collectives were compared. The prehospital TRT of the AA collective was longer than the AB and BB subgroups (80±37 min vs 77±44 min 65±46 min; pchest tube placement do not prolong the total TRT of severely injured patients.

  10. Blunt chest trauma--an audit of injuries diagnosed by the MDCT examination.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Turkalj, Ivan; Petrović, Kosta; Stojanović, Sanja; Petrović, Djordje; Brakus, Alma; Ristić, Jelena

    2014-02-01

    Multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) characterised by speed and precision is increasingly accessible in emergency wards. The aim of our study was to determine the most common injuries to the chest region, as well as type associated extrathoracic injuries, and the treatment outcome. This prospective study included 61 patients with blunt trauma who were submitted to computed tomography (CT) of the thorax. The number of injuries was evaluated by organs and organ systems of the chest. The cause of the injury, the length and the outcome of the treatment, and the presence of injuries in other regions were assessed. Chest injuries were associated with injuries to other regions in 80.3% cases, predominantly injuries to extremities or pelvic bones in 54.1% cases, followed by head injuries in 39.3% patients. Associated thoracic injuries were present in 90.9% of patients with lethal outcome. Lung parenchymal lesions, pleural effusions and rib fractures were the most common injuries affecting 77.1%, 65.6% and 63.9% of the cases, respectively. Blunt chest trauma is a significant problem affecting predominantly males in their forties and it is usually caused by a motor vehicle accident. In case of pneumomediastinum or mediastinal haematoma, the use of 3D reconstructions is advised for diagnosing possible tracheobronchial ruptures and thoracic aorta injuries. Increased resolution of CT scanners yielded a large number of findings that are occult on radiography, especially in the event of lung parenchymal and pleural injuries. However, none imaging modality can replace surgical judgement.

  11. Criteria for the selective use of chest computed tomography in blunt trauma patients.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Brink, M.; Deunk, J.; Dekker, H.M.; Edwards, M.J.R.; Kool, D.R.; Vugt, A.B. van; Kuijk, C. van; Blickman, J.G.

    2010-01-01

    PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to derive parameters that predict which high-energy blunt trauma patients should undergo computed tomography (CT) for detection of chest injury. METHODS: This observational study prospectively included consecutive patients (>or=16 years old) who underwent

  12. Pediatric chest imaging. Chest imaging in infants and children. 2. rev. ed.

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lucaya, Javier [Vall d' Hebron Hospitals, Barcelona (Spain). Dept. of Pediatric Radiology and Inst. of Diagnostic Imaging; Hospital Quiron, Barcelona (Spain). Dept. of Radiology; Strife, Janet L. (eds.) [Cincinnati Univ. Coll. of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH (United States). Dept. of Radiology Cincinnati Children' s Hospital Medical Center

    2008-07-01

    Imaging of the pediatric chest continues to evolve rapidly. All chapters in this 2nd edition of Pediatric Chest Imaging have been extensively updated, with additional disease-specific information and numerous new illustrations. The book thus presents the state of the art in the diagnosis of pediatric chest disorders, highlighting the role played by advanced technology. As the conventional features of most of these disorders are extremely well known, special attention is devoted to the technical aspects of the modern imaging modalities, their indications, and the diagnostic information that they supply. Individual chapters focus on chest ultrasound, nuclear medicine imaging, high-resolution chest CT, helical CT, and pediatric cardiac CT and pediatric cardiacMRI. Others are directed towards specific disorders, including congenital malformations of the chest, chest tumors, pulmonary infection, trauma, the lung in systemic diseases, the pediatric airway, foreign bodies, the thymus, and the chest wall. Without exception, the authors of this book are internationally known specialists with great expertise in the field. This book will serve as a handy, superbly illustrated reference for all who routinely image children, as well as for those who need access to information on how best to image them. (orig.)

  13. Can routine trauma bay chest x-ray be bypassed with an extended focused assessment with sonography for trauma examination?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Soult, Michael C; Weireter, Leonard J; Britt, Rebecca C; Collins, Jay N; Novosel, Timothy J; Reed, Scott F; Britt, L D

    2015-04-01

    The objective of this study was to investigate the feasibility of using ultrasound (US) in place of portable chest x-ray (CXR) for the rapid detection of a traumatic pneumothorax (PTX) requiring urgent decompression in the trauma bay. All patients who presented as a trauma alert to a single institution from August 2011 to May 2012 underwent an extended focused assessment with sonography for trauma (FAST). The thoracic cavity was examined using four-view US imaging and were interpreted by a chief resident (Postgraduate Year 4) or attending staff. US results were compared with CXR and chest computed tomography (CT) scans, when obtained. The average age was 37.8 years and 68 per cent of the patients were male. Blunt injury occurred in 87 per cent and penetrating injury in 12 per cent of activations. US was able to predict the absence of PTX on CXR with a sensitivity of 93.8 per cent, specificity of 98 per cent, and a negative predictive value of 99.9 per cent compared with CXR. The only missed PTX seen on CXR was a small, low anterior, loculated PTX that was stable for transport to CT. The use of thoracic US during the FAST can rapidly and safely detect the absence of a clinically significant PTX. US can replace routine CXR obtained in the trauma bay and allow more rapid initiation of definitive imaging studies.

  14. Profile of thoracic trauma victims submitted to chest drainage.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Broska, Cesar Augusto; Botelho, Adriane Barbosa; Linhares, André DE Castro; DE-Oliveria, Mariana Santos; Veronese, Gabriela; Naufel, Carlos Roberto; Batista, Lislaine Cruz; Diogo, Maria Angélica Kurpel

    2017-01-01

    to describe and compare the variables involved in trauma victims undergoing thoracic drainage. we conducted a retrospective, analytical, descriptive, cross-sectional study, with medical records of patients attended at the Trauma Service of the Curitiba Evangelical University Hospital between February 2011 and January 2014. there were 488 patients undergoing chest drainage, 84.7% men and 15.3% women, with an average age of 38.2 years. Attendances usually occurred at night, without predominance between open or closed mechanism, gender or age group. The majority of patients with thoracic trauma requiring drainage were diagnosed by anamnesis and physical examination (41.1%) and drained in the emergency room (80.8%). Most of the patients (66.2%) had another associated lesion, mostly some abdominal viscera. Complications were present in 16.6% (81 patients), most of them due to drainage positioning error (9.2%). The mean hospital stay was 15 days and drainage lasted for an average of 8.1 days, with no statistical difference between open and closed trauma. The clinical outcome was discharge in most cases. the profile of patients with thoracic trauma is that of young men, attended at night, with some other associated lesion. Although diagnosis and treatment were rapid and most often without the need for complex examinations, the time of drainage, hospitalization and complications were higher than in the literature, which can be explained by the drainage being made at the Emergency Room and the presence of associated injuries. descrever e comparar as variáveis envolvidas nos pacientes vítimas de trauma torácico submetidos à drenagem de tórax. estudo transversal descritivo analítico retrospectivo realizado com prontuários de pacientes atendidos no Serviço de Trauma do Hospital Universitário Evangélico de Curitiba entre fevereiro de 2011 e janeiro de 2014. neste período foram atendidos 488 pacientes, 84,7% homens e 15,3% mulheres, com média de idade de 38,2 anos

  15. Chest Seal Placement for Penetrating Chest Wounds by Prehospital Ground Forces in Afghanistan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schauer, Steven G; April, Michael D; Naylor, Jason F; Simon, Erica M; Fisher, Andrew D; Cunningham, Cord W; Morissette, Daniel M; Fernandez, Jessie Renee D; Ryan, Kathy L

    Thoracic trauma represents 5% of all battlefield injuries. Communicating pneumothoraces resulting in tension physiology remain an important etiology of prehospital mortality. In addressing penetrating chest trauma, current Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC) guidelines advocate the immediate placement of a vented chest seal device. Although the Committee on TCCC (CoTCCC) has approved numerous chest seal devices for battlefield use, few data exist regarding their use in a combat zone setting. To evaluate adherence to TCCC guidelines for chest seal placement among personnel deployed to Afghanistan. We obtained data from the Prehospital Trauma Registry (PHTR). Joint Trauma System personnel linked patients to the Department of Defense Trauma Registry, when available, for outcome data upon reaching a fixed facility. In the PHTR, we identified 62 patients with documented gunshot wound (GSW) or puncture wound trauma to the chest. The majority (74.2%; n = 46) of these were due to GSW, with the remainder either explosive-based puncture wounds (22.6%; n = 14) or a combination of GSW and explosive (3.2%; n = 2). Of the 62 casualties with documented GSW or puncture wounds, 46 (74.2%) underwent chest seal placement. Higher proportions of patients with medical officers in their chain of care underwent chest seal placement than those that did not (63.0% versus 37.0%). The majority of chest seals placed were not vented. Of patients with a GSW or puncture wound to the chest, 74.2% underwent chest seal placement. Most of the chest seals placed were not vented in accordance with guidelines, despite the guideline update midway through the study period. These data suggest the need to improve predeployment training on TCCC guidelines and matching of the Army logistical supply chain to the devices recommended by the CoTCCC. 2017.

  16. Average chest wall thickness at two anatomic locations in trauma patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schroeder, Elizabeth; Valdez, Carrie; Krauthamer, Andres; Khati, Nadia; Rasmus, Jessica; Amdur, Richard; Brindle, Kathleen; Sarani, Babak

    2013-09-01

    Needle thoracostomy is the emergent treatment for tension pneumothorax. This procedure is commonly done using a 4.5cm catheter, and the optimal site for chest wall puncture is controversial. We hypothesize that needle thoracostomy cannot be performed using this catheter length irrespective of the site chosen in either gender. A retrospective review of all chest computed tomography (CT) scans obtained on trauma patients from January 1, 2011 to December 31, 2011 was performed. Patients aged 18 and 80 years were included and patients whose chest wall thickness exceeded the boundary of the images acquired were excluded. Chest wall thickness was measured at the 2nd intercostal (ICS), midclavicular line (MCL) and the 5th ICS, anterior axillary line (AAL). Injury severity score (ISS), chest wall thickness, and body mass index (BMI) were analyzed. 201 patients were included, 54% male. Average (SD) BMI was 26 (7)kg/m(2). The average chest wall thickness in the overall cohort was 4.08 (1.4)cm at the 2nd ICS/MCL and 4.55 (1.7)cm at the 5th ICS/AAL. 29% of the overall cohort (27 male and 32 female) had a chest wall thickness greater than 4.5cm at the 2nd ICS/MCL and 45% (54 male and 36 female) had a chest wall thickness greater than 4.5cm at the 5th ICS/AAL. There was no significant interaction between gender and chest wall thickness at either site. BMI was positively associated with chest wall thickness at both the 2nd and 5th ICS/AAL. A 4.5cm catheter is inadequate for needle thoracostomy in most patients regardless of puncture site or gender. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Provider perceptions concerning use of chest x-ray studies in adult blunt trauma assessments.

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    Calderon, Georgina; Perez, Daniel; Fortman, Jonathan; Kea, Bory; Rodriguez, Robert M

    2012-10-01

    Although they infrequently lead to management changing diagnoses, chest x-rays (CXRs) are the most commonly ordered imaging study in blunt trauma evaluation. To determine: 1) the reasons physicians order chest X-ray studies (CXRs) in blunt trauma assessments; 2) what injuries they expect CXRs to reveal; and 3) whether physicians can accurately predict low likelihood of injury on CXR. At a Level I Trauma Center, we asked resident and attending physicians treating adult blunt trauma patients: 1) the primary reason(s) for getting CXRs; 2) what, if any, significant intrathoracic injuries (SITI) they expected CXRs to reveal; and 3) the likelihood of these injuries. An expert panel defined SITI as two or more rib fractures, sternal fracture, pulmonary contusion, pneumothorax, hemothorax, or aortic injury on official CXR readings. There were 484 patient encounters analyzed--65% of participating physicians were residents and 35% were attendings; 16 (3.3%) patients had SITI. The most common reasons for ordering CXRs were: "enough concern for significant injury" (62.9%) and belief that CXR is a "standard part of trauma work-up" (24.8%). Residents were more likely than attendings to cite "standard trauma work-up" (mean difference = 13.5%, p = 0.003). When physicians estimated a 25% likelihood, 9.1% (95% CI 3.0-20.0%) had SITI. Physicians order CXRs in blunt trauma patients because they expect to find injuries and believe that CXRs are part of a "standard" work-up. Providers commonly do not expect CXRs to reveal SITI. When providers estimated low likelihood of SITI, the rate of SITI was very low. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  18. Secondary left ventricular injury with haemopericardium caused by a rib fracture after blunt chest trauma

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    Somsekhar Ganti

    2006-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Trauma is the third most common cause of death in the West. In the US, approximately 90,000 deaths annually are traumatic in nature and over 75% of casualties from blunt trauma are due to chest injuries. Cardiac injuries from rib fractures following blunt trauma are extremely rare. We report the unusual case of a patient who fell from a height and presented with haemopericardium and haemothorax as a result of left ventricular and lingular lacerations and was sucessfully operated upon.

  19. Clinical diagnosis versus autopsy diagnosis in head trauma

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    Velnic Andreea-Alexandra

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available The correct and complete diagnosis is essential for the adequate care and the favourable clinical evolution of the patients with head trauma. Purpose: To identify the error rate in the clinical diagnosis of head injuries as shown in comparison with the autopsy diagnosis and to identify the most common sources of error. Material and method: We performed a retrospective study based on data from the medical files and the autopsy reports of patients with head trauma who died in the hospital and underwent forensic autopsy. We collected: demographic data, clinical and laboratory data and autopsy findings. To quantify the concordance rate between the clinical diagnosis of death and the autopsy diagnosis we used a 4 classes classification, which ranged from 100% concordance (C1 to total discordance (C4 and two classes of partial discordance: C2 (partial discordance in favour of the clinical diagnosis- missing injuries in the autopsy reports and C3 (partial discordance in favor of the necroptic diagnosis- missing injuries in the medical files. Data were analyzed with SPSS version 20.0. Results: We analyzed 194 cases of death due to head injuries. We found a total concordance between the clinical death diagnosis and autopsy diagnosis in 30.4% of cases and at least one discrepancy in 69.6% of cases. Increasing the duration of hospitalization directly correlates with the amount of the imaging investigations and these in turn correlates with an increased rate of diagnosis concordance. Among the patients with stage 3 coma who associated a spinal cord injury, we found a partial diagnosis discordance in 50% of cases and a total discordance in 50% of cases, possibly due to the need for conducting emergency imaging investigation and the need for surgical treatment. In cases with partial and total discordant diagnosis, at least one lesion was omitted in 45.1% of the cases. The most commonly omitted injuries in C2 cases were subdural hematoma, intracerebral

  20. Ultrasound detection of pneumothorax compared with chest X-ray and computed tomography scan.

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    Nagarsheth, Khanjan; Kurek, Stanley

    2011-04-01

    Pneumothorax after trauma can be a life threatening injury and its care requires expeditious and accurate diagnosis and possible intervention. We performed a prospective, single blinded study with convenience sampling at a Level I trauma center comparing thoracic ultrasound with chest X-ray and CT scan in the detection of traumatic pneumothorax. Trauma patients that received a thoracic ultrasound, chest X-ray, and chest CT scan were included in the study. The chest X-rays were read by a radiologist who was blinded to the thoracic ultrasound results. Then both were compared with CT scan results. One hundred and twenty-five patients had a thoracic ultrasound performed in the 24-month period. Forty-six patients were excluded from the study due to lack of either a chest X-ray or chest CT scan. Of the remaining 79 patients there were 22 positive pneumothorax found by CT and of those 18 (82%) were found on ultrasound and 7 (32%) were found on chest X-ray. The sensitivity of thoracic ultrasound was found to be 81.8 per cent and the specificity was found to be 100 per cent. The sensitivity of chest X-ray was found to be 31.8 per cent and again the specificity was found to be 100 per cent. The negative predictive value of thoracic ultrasound for pneumothorax was 0.934 and the negative predictive value for chest X-ray for pneumothorax was found to be 0.792. We advocate the use of chest ultrasound for detection of pneumothorax in trauma patients.

  1. Comparative Effectiveness of Emergency Resuscitative Thoracotomy versus Closed Chest Compressions among Patients with Critical Blunt Trauma: A Nationwide Cohort Study in Japan.

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    Suzuki, Kodai; Inoue, Shigeaki; Morita, Seiji; Watanabe, Nobuo; Shintani, Ayumi; Inokuchi, Sadaki; Ogura, Shinji

    2016-01-01

    Although emergency resuscitative thoracotomy is performed as a salvage maneuver for critical blunt trauma patients, evidence supporting superior effectiveness of emergency resuscitative thoracotomy compared to conventional closed-chest compressions remains insufficient. The objective of this study was to investigate whether emergency resuscitative thoracotomy at the emergency department or in the operating room was associated with favourable outcomes after blunt trauma and to compare its effectiveness with that of closed-chest compressions. This was a retrospective nationwide cohort study. Data were obtained from the Japan Trauma Data Bank for the period between 2004 and 2012. The primary and secondary outcomes were patient survival rates 24 h and 28 d after emergency department arrival. Statistical analyses were performed using multivariable generalized mixed-effects regression analysis. We adjusted for the effects of different hospitals by introducing random intercepts in regression analysis to account for the differential quality of emergency resuscitative thoracotomy at hospitals where patients in cardiac arrest were treated. Sensitivity analyses were performed using propensity score matching. In total, 1,377 consecutive, critical blunt trauma patients who received cardiopulmonary resuscitation in the emergency department or operating room were included in the study. Of these patients, 484 (35.1%) underwent emergency resuscitative thoracotomy and 893 (64.9%) received closed-chest compressions. Compared to closed-chest compressions, emergency resuscitative thoracotomy was associated with lower survival rate 24 h after emergency department arrival (4.5% vs. 17.5%, respectively, P chest compressions (P chest compressions.

  2. Delayed chest wall hematoma caused by progressive displacement of rib fractures after blunt trauma

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    Nobuhiro Sato

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Rib fracture is a common injury resulting from blunt thoracic trauma. Although hemothorax and pneumothorax are known delayed complications of rib fracture, delayed chest wall hematoma has rarely been reported. We discuss the case of an 81-year-old woman who was not undergoing antiplatelet or anticoagulant therapy who presented to our emergency department after a traffic injury. This patient had a nondisplaced rib fracture that went undetected on the initial computed tomography scan; the development of progressive displacement led to hemorrhagic shock due to delayed chest wall hematoma. The chest wall hematoma was effectively diagnosed and treated via contrast-enhanced computed tomography and angiographic embolization. This case highlights the possibility of this potential delayed complication from a common injury such as a rib fracture. Keywords: Angiography, Chest wall, Delayed complication, Rib fracture, Thoracic injury

  3. Chest and spine radiography abnormality in blunt chest trauma correlated with major vessel injury in an unselected patient population

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fernandez, G.; Kadir, S.; Encarnacion, C.

    1989-01-01

    To assess the true incidence of major vessel injury, the authors retrospectively reviewed all arch aortograms obtained for blunt chest trauma (BCT) during a 24-month period beginning December 1986. Aortograms were correlated with preangiographic chest radiographic and operative findings. The goals of this review were to examine the usefulness of commonly employed screening criteria for aortography and determine whether thoracic spine fractures imply a decreased likelihood of aortic injury. One hundred twenty aortograms were obtained during this period. The incidence of aortic laceration was 6.7%, and 7.5% had brachiocerebral vascular injury. Only 51% of chest radiographs were suggestive of vascular injury. Two patients with subtle radiographic findings had aortic laceration. One patient with a burst fracture of T-4 had aortic laceration. The results of this review indicate the incidence of great vessel injury is as high as that of injury to the aorta itself and that the presence of spine fractures does not exclude vascular injury

  4. Complications following blunt and penetrating injuries in 216 victims of chest trauma requiring tube thoracostomy.

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    Helling, T S; Gyles, N R; Eisenstein, C L; Soracco, C A

    1989-10-01

    Tube thoracostomy (TT) is required in the treatment of many blunt and penetrating injuries of the chest. In addition to complications from the injuries, TT may contribute to morbidity by introducing microorganisms into the pleural space or by incomplete lung expansion and evacuation of pleural blood. We have attempted to assess the impact of TT following penetrating and blunt thoracic trauma by examining a consecutive series of 216 patients seen at two urban trauma centers with such injuries who required TT over a 30-month period. Ninety-four patients suffered blunt chest trauma; 122 patients were victims of penetrating wounds. Patients with blunt injuries had longer ventilator requirements (12.6 +/- 14 days vs. 3.7 +/- 7.1 days, p = 0.003), longer intensive care stays (12.2 +/- 12.5 days vs. 4.1 +/- 7.5 days, p = 0.001), and longer periods of TT, (6.5 +/- 4.9 days vs. 5.2 +/- 4.5 days, p = 0.018). Empyema occurred in six patients (3%). Residual hemothorax was found in 39 patients (18%), seven of whom required decortication. Recurrent pneumothorax developed in 51 patients (24%) and ten required repeat TT. Complications occurred in 78 patients (36%). Patients with blunt trauma experienced more complications (44%) than those with penetrating wounds (30%) (p = 0.04). However, only seven of 13 patients developing empyema or requiring decortication had blunt trauma. Despite longer requirements for mechanical ventilation, intensive care, and intubation, victims of blunt trauma seemed to have effective drainage of their pleural space by TT without increased risk of infectious complications.

  5. Pneumothorax in severe thoracic traumas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Camassa, N.W.; Boccuzzi, F.; Diettorre, E.; Troilo, A.

    1988-01-01

    The authors reviewed CT scans and supine chest X-ray of 47 patients affected by severe thoracic trauma, examined in 1985-86. The sensibility of the two methodologies in the assessment of pneumothorax was compared. CT detected 25 pneumothorax, whereas supine chest X-ray allowed a diagnosis in 18 cases only. In 8 of the latter (44.4%) the diagnosis was made possible by the presence of indirect signs of pneumothorax only - the most frequent being the deep sulcus sign. The characterization of pneumothorax is important especially in the patients who need to be treated with mechanical ventilation therapy, or who are to undergo surgery in total anaesthesia

  6. Risk factors for adverse outcomes in older adults with blunt chest trauma: A systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sawa, Jake; Green, Robert S; Thoma, Brent; Erdogan, Mete; Davis, Philip J

    2017-08-11

    The objective of this study was to systematically review the published literature for risk factors associated with adverse outcomes in older adults sustaining blunt chest trauma. EMBASE and MEDLINE were searched from inception until March 2017 for prognostic factors associated with adverse outcomes in older adults sustaining blunt chest trauma using a pre-specified search strategy. References were independently screened for inclusion by two reviewers. Study quality was assessed using the Quality in Prognostic Studies tool. Where appropriate, descriptive statistics were used to evaluate study characteristics and predictors of adverse outcomes. Thirteen cohort studies representing 79,313 patients satisfied our selection criteria. Overall, 26 prognostic factors were examined across studies and were reported for morbidity (8 studies), length of stay (7 studies), mortality (6 studies), and loss of independence (1 study). No studies examined patient quality of life or emergency department recidivism. Prognostic factors associated with morbidity and mortality included age, number of rib fractures, and injury severity score. Although age and rib fractures were found to be associated with adverse outcomes in more than 3 studies, meta-analysis was not performed due to heterogeneity amongst included studies in how these variables were measured. While blunt chest wall trauma in older adults is relatively common, the literature on prognostic factors for adverse outcomes in this patient population remains inadequate due to a paucity of high quality studies and lack of consistent reporting standards.

  7. High plasma levels of high mobility group box 1 is associated with the risk of sepsis in severe blunt chest trauma patients: a prospective cohort study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Xiao-Wen; Karki, Avash; Zhao, Xing-Ji; Xiang, Xiao-Yong; Lu, Zhi-Qian

    2014-08-02

    High mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) is a late mediator of systemic inflammation. Extracellular HMGB1 play a central pathogenic role in critical illness. The purpose of the study was to investigate the association between plasma HMGB1 concentrations and the risk of poor outcomes in patients with severe blunt chest trauma. The plasma concentrations of HMGB1 in patients with severe blunt chest trauma (AIS ≥ 3) were measured by a quantitative enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay at four time points during seven days after admission, and the dynamic release patterns were monitored. The biomarker levels were compared between patients with sepsis and non-sepsis, and between patients with multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) and non-MODS. The related factors of prognosis were analyzed by using multivariate logistic regression analysis. The short-form 36 was used to evaluate the quality of life of patients at 12 months after injury. Plasma HMGB1 levels were significantly higher both in sepsis and MODS group on post-trauma day 3, 5, and 7 compared with the non-sepsis and non-MODS groups, respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that HMGB1 levels and ISS were independent risk factors for sepsis and MODS in patients with severe blunt chest trauma. Plasma HMGB1 levels were significantly elevated in patients with severe blunt chest trauma. HMGB1 levels were associated with the risk of poor outcome in patients with severe blunt chest trauma. Daily HMGB1 levels measurements is a potential useful tool in the early identification of post-trauma complications. Further studies are needed to determine whether HMGB1 intervention could prevent the development of sepsis and MODS in patients with severe blunt chest trauma.

  8. Risk factors that predict mortality in patients with blunt chest wall trauma: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Battle, Ceri E; Hutchings, Hayley; Evans, Phillip A

    2012-01-01

    The risk factors for mortality following blunt chest wall trauma have neither been well established or summarised. To summarise the risk factors for mortality in blunt chest wall trauma patients based on available evidence in the literature. A systematic review of English and non-English articles using MEDLINE, EMBASE and the Cochrane Library from their introduction until May 2010. Additional studies were identified by hand-searching bibliographies and contacting relevant clinical experts. Grey literature was sought by searching abstracts from all Emergency Medicine conferences. Broad search terms and inclusion criteria were used to reduce the number of missed studies. A two step study selection process was used. All published and unpublished observational studies were included if they investigated estimates of association between a risk factor and mortality for blunt chest wall trauma patients. A two step data extraction process using pre-defined data fields, including study quality indicators. Each study was appraised using a previously designed quality assessment tool and the STROBE checklist. Where sufficient data were available, odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals were calculated using Mantel-Haenszel method for the risk factors investigated. The I(2) statistic was calculated for combined studies in order to assess heterogeneity. Age, number of rib fractures, presence of pre-existing disease and pneumonia were found to be related to mortality in 29 identified studies. Combined odds ratio of 1.98 (1.86-2.11, 95% CI), 2.02 (1.89-2.15, 95% CI), 2.43 (1.03-5.72, 95% CI) and 5.24 (3.51-7.82) for mortality were calculated for blunt chest wall trauma patients aged 65 years or more, with three or more rib fractures, pre-existing conditions and pneumonia respectively. The risk factors for mortality in patients sustaining blunt chest wall trauma were a patient age of 65 years or more, three or more rib fractures and the presence of pre-existing disease especially

  9. Outcomes of patients with blunt chest trauma encountered at emergency department and possible risk factors affecting mortality

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    Yuan-Ming Tsai

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Blunt chest trauma is associated with a high risk of mortality. Respiratory complications may necessitate prolonged ventilation and result in death. The present study aimed to investigate possible signs of trauma and the prognosis of trauma patients with thoracic injuries and identify risk factors for mortality. Patients and Methods: A retrospective study was performed to investigate the clinical characteristics and treatment outcomes of trauma patients with blunt chest injuries who underwent thoracic computed tomography on arrival in the emergency department (January 2010–December 2013. Patients with brain injuries were excluded from the study. The prognostic values of age, sex, trauma type, injury severity score, revised trauma score (RTS, ventilator requirement, days in Intensive Care Unit (ICU, associated thoracic injury, and laboratory examinations (including arterial blood gas [ABG] were evaluated. Results: Fifteen of 30 analyzed patients died during their ICU stays; accordingly, we classified patients as survivors and nonsurvivors. These groups differed significantly regarding the RTS (P = 0.002, mechanical ventilation requirement (P = 0.007, total stay length (P = 0.009, and the presence of hemothorax (P = 0.030. However, no significant differences in the pneumothorax, rib fractures, and blood tests (including ABG analysis were observed between the groups. Conclusion: Among hospitalized trauma patients with blunt thoracic injuries, RTS, mechanical ventilation requirement, and hemothorax were identified as risk factors for mortality. Patients with hemothorax should receive multidisciplinary care and be monitored closely to improve survival.

  10. Use of intubating laryngeal mask airway in a morbidly obese patient with chest trauma in an emergency setting

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    Tripat Bindra

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available A morbidly obese male who sustained blunt trauma chest with bilateral pneumothorax was referred to the intensive care unit for management of his condition. Problems encountered in managing the patient were gradually increasing hypoxemia (chest trauma with multiple rib fractures with lung contusions and difficult mask ventilation and intubation (morbid obesity, heavy jaw, short and thick neck. We performed awake endotracheal intubation using an intubating laryngeal mask airway (ILMA size 4 and provided mechanical ventilation to the patient. This report suggests that ILMA can be very useful in the management of difficult airway outside the operating room and can help in preventing adverse events in an emergency setting.

  11. Diagnostic Accuracy of Ultrasonography and Radiography in Initial Evaluation of Chest Trauma Patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vafaei, Ali; Hatamabadi, Hamid Reza; Heidary, Kamran; Alimohammadi, Hosein; Tarbiyat, Mohammad

    2016-01-01

    Application of chest radiography for all multiple trauma patients is associated with a significant increase in total costs, exposure to radiation, and overcrowding of the emergency department. Ultrasound has been introduced as an alternative diagnostic tool in this regard. The aim of the present study is to compare the diagnostic accuracy of chest ultrasonography and radiography in detection of traumatic intrathoracic injuries. In the present prospective cross-sectional study, patients with traumatic intrathoracic injuries, who were referred to the emergency department from December 2013 to December 2014, were assessed. The patients underwent bedside ultrasound, radiographic and computed tomography (CT) scan examinations based on ATLS recommendations. Screening performance characteristics of ultrasonography and radiography were compared using SPSS 21.0. Chest CT scan was considered as gold standard. 152 chest trauma patients with a mean age of 31.4 ± 13.8 years (range: 4 ‒ 67), were enrolled (77.6% male). Chest CT scan showed pulmonary contusion in 48 (31.6%) patients, hemothorax in 29 (19.1%), and pneumothorax in 55 (36.2%) cases. Area under the ROC curve of ultrasonography in detection of pneumothorax, hemothorax, and pulmonary contusion were 0.91 (95% CI: 0.86‒0.96), 0.86 (95% CI: 0.78‒0.94), and 0.80 (95% CI: 0.736‒0.88), respectively. Area under the ROC curve of radiography was 0.80 (95% CI: 0.736‒0.87) for detection of pneumothorax, 0.77 (95% CI: 0.68‒0.86) for hemothorax, and 0.58 (95% CI: 0.5‒0.67) for pulmonary contusion. Comparison of areas under the ROC curve declared the significant superiority of ultrasonography in detection of pneumothorax (p = 0.02) and pulmonary contusion (p < 0.001). However, the diagnostic value of the two tests was equal in detection of hemothorax (p = 0.08). The results of the present study showed that ultrasonography is preferable to radiography in the initial evaluation of patients with traumatic injuries to the

  12. Diagnostic Accuracy of Ultrasonography and Radiography in Initial Evaluation of Chest Trauma Patients

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    Ali Vafaei

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Application of chest radiography for all multiple trauma patients is associated with a significant increase in total costs, exposure to radiation, and overcrowding of the emergency department. Ultrasound has been introduced as an alternative diagnostic tool in this regard. The aim of the present study is to compare the diagnostic accuracy of chest ultrasonography and radiography in detection of traumatic intrathoracic injuries. Methods: In the present prospective cross-sectional study, patients with traumatic intrathoracic injuries, who were referred to the emergency department from December 2013 to December 2014, were assessed. The patients underwent bedside ultrasound, radiographic and computed tomography (CT scan examinations based on ATLS recommendations. Screening performance characteristics of ultrasonography and radiography were compared using SPSS 21.0. Chest CT scan was considered as gold standard. Results: 152 chest trauma patients with a mean age of 31.4 ± 13.8 years (range: 4 ‒ 67, were enrolled (77.6% male. Chest CT scan showed pulmonary contusion in 48 (31.6% patients, hemothorax in 29 (19.1%, and pneumothorax in 55 (36.2% cases. Area under the ROC curve of ultrasonography in detection of pneumothorax, hemothorax, and pulmonary contusion were 0.91 (95% CI: 0.86‒0.96, 0.86 (95% CI: 0.78‒0.94, and 0.80 (95% CI: 0.736‒0.88, respectively. Area under the ROC curve of radiography was 0.80 (95% CI: 0.736‒0.87 for detection of pneumothorax, 0.77 (95% CI: 0.68‒0.86 for hemothorax, and 0.58 (95% CI: 0.5‒0.67 for pulmonary contusion. Comparison of areas under the ROC curve declared the significant superiority of ultrasonography in detection of pneumothorax (p = 0.02 and pulmonary contusion (p < 0.001. However, the diagnostic value of the two tests was equal in detection of hemothorax (p = 0.08. Conclusion: The results of the present study showed that ultrasonography is preferable to radiography in the initial

  13. Head trauma and CT with special reference to diagnosis of complications of head trauma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Samejima, Kanji; Yoshii, Nobuo; Tobari, Chitose

    1979-01-01

    Cases in which CT was useful for the diagnosis of complications of head trauma were reported. First, complications of head trauma were given an outline, and then, cases of protrusion of the brain, traumatic pneumocephalus, and cerebro-vascular disorders caused by head trauma were mentioned. (Tsunoda, M.)

  14. [Rupture of interventricular septum secondary to blunt chest trauma. Report of a case surgically treated with success (author's transl)].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gallotti, R; Gordini, V; Botta, M; Pezzano, A

    1976-01-01

    A case of interventricular septal defect secondary to blunt chest trauma is reported. It was characterized by a disconnection of the interventricular muscolar septal in the anterosuperior part of the heart wall. The diagnosis, suspected by clinical and instrumental parameters, was definitely confirmedy by hemodynamic and contrastographic examination. Repair surgery of the defect with a dacron patch was performed, using extracorporea normothermic circulation seven months after the accident. The patient was examined three months and twelve months after the operation; the clinical examinations did not reveal any cardiac murmur and the patient's health was satisfactory. The incidence, mechanism of rupture of interventricular septum and the main surgical and clinical aspects of this type of pathology are discussed.

  15. A study on the evaluation of pneumothorax by imaging methods in patients presenting to the emergency department for blunt thoracic trauma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaya, Şeyhmus; Çevik, Arif Alper; Acar, Nurdan; Döner, Egemen; Sivrikoz, Cumhur; Özkan, Ragıp

    2015-09-01

    Pneumothorax (PNX) is the collection of air between parietal and visceral pleura, and collapsed lung develops as a complication of the trapped air. PNX is likely to develop spontaneously in people with risk factors. However, it is mostly seen with blunt or penetrating trauma. Diagnosis is generally confirmed by chest radiography [posteroanterior chest radiography (PACR)]. Chest ultrasound (US) is also a promising technique for the detection of PNX in trauma patients. There is not much literature on the evaluation of blunt thoracic trauma (BTT) and pneumothorax (PNX) in the emergency department (ED). The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of chest US for the diagnosis of PNX in patients presenting to ED with BTT. This study was carried out for a period of nine months in the ED of a university hospital. The chest US of patients was performed by emergency physicians trained in the field. The results were compared with anteroposterior chest radiography and/or CT scan of the chest. The APCR and chest CT results were evaluated by a radiology specialist blind to US findings. The evaluation of the radiology specialist was taken as the gold standard for diagnosis by imaging methods. Clinical follow-up was taken into consideration for the diagnosis of PNX in patients on whom CT scan was not performed. Chest US was performed on all two hundred and twelve patients (144 female and 68 male patients; mean age 45.8) who participated in this study. The supine APCR was performed on two hundred and ten (99%) patients and chest CT was performed on one hundred and twenty (56.6%). Out of the twenty-five (11.8%) diagnosed cases of PNX, 22 (88%) were diagnosed by chest US and 8 were diagnosed by APCR. For the detection of PNX, compared to clinical follow-up and chest CT, the sensitivity of chest US was 88%, specificity 99.5%, positive predictive value 95.7% and negative predictive value 98.4%. Chest US has not superseded supine and standing chest radiography for PNX

  16. CT of the chest in suspected child abuse using submillisievert radiation dose

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sanchez, Thomas R.; Seibert, J.A.; Stein-Wexler, Rebecca; Lee, Justin S.; Coulter, Kevin P.

    2015-01-01

    The cornerstone of child abuse imaging is the skeletal survey, but initial imaging with radiographs may not demonstrate acute and non-displaced fractures, especially those involving the ribs. Given the high mortality of undiagnosed non-accidental trauma, timely diagnosis is crucial. CT is more sensitive in assessing rib fractures; however the effective radiation dose of a standard chest CT is high. We retrospectively identified four children (three boys, one girl; age range 1-4 months) admitted between January 2013 and February 2014 with high suspicion for non-accidental trauma from unexplained fractures of the long bones; these children all had CT of the chest when no rib fractures were evident on the skeletal survey. The absorbed radiation dose estimates for organs and tissue from the four-view chest radiographs and subsequent CT were determined using Monte Carlo photon transport software, and the effective dose was calculated using published tissue-weighting factors. In two children, CT showed multiple fractures of the ribs, scapula and vertebral body that were not evident on the initial skeletal survey. The average effective dose for a four-view chest radiograph across the four children was 0.29 mSv and the average effective dose for the chest CT was 0.56 mSv. Therefore the effective dose of a chest CT is on average less than twice that of a four-view chest radiograph. Our protocol thus shows that a reduced-dose chest CT may be useful in the evaluation of high specificity fractures of non-accidental trauma when the four-view chest radiographs are negative. (orig.)

  17. CT of the chest in suspected child abuse using submillisievert radiation dose

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sanchez, Thomas R.; Seibert, J.A.; Stein-Wexler, Rebecca [Medical Center Children' s Hospital, Division of Pediatric Radiology, University of California-Davis, Sacramento, CA (United States); Lee, Justin S. [University of California-Davis, Department of Radiology, Sacramento, CA (United States); Coulter, Kevin P. [Medical Center Children' s Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, University of California-Davis, Sacramento, CA (United States)

    2015-07-15

    The cornerstone of child abuse imaging is the skeletal survey, but initial imaging with radiographs may not demonstrate acute and non-displaced fractures, especially those involving the ribs. Given the high mortality of undiagnosed non-accidental trauma, timely diagnosis is crucial. CT is more sensitive in assessing rib fractures; however the effective radiation dose of a standard chest CT is high. We retrospectively identified four children (three boys, one girl; age range 1-4 months) admitted between January 2013 and February 2014 with high suspicion for non-accidental trauma from unexplained fractures of the long bones; these children all had CT of the chest when no rib fractures were evident on the skeletal survey. The absorbed radiation dose estimates for organs and tissue from the four-view chest radiographs and subsequent CT were determined using Monte Carlo photon transport software, and the effective dose was calculated using published tissue-weighting factors. In two children, CT showed multiple fractures of the ribs, scapula and vertebral body that were not evident on the initial skeletal survey. The average effective dose for a four-view chest radiograph across the four children was 0.29 mSv and the average effective dose for the chest CT was 0.56 mSv. Therefore the effective dose of a chest CT is on average less than twice that of a four-view chest radiograph. Our protocol thus shows that a reduced-dose chest CT may be useful in the evaluation of high specificity fractures of non-accidental trauma when the four-view chest radiographs are negative. (orig.)

  18. Predictors of abdominal injuries in blunt trauma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Farrath, Samiris; Parreira, José Gustavo; Perlingeiro, Jacqueline A G; Solda, Silvia C; Assef, José Cesar

    2012-01-01

    To identify predictors of abdominal injuries in victims of blunt trauma. retrospective analysis of trauma protocols (collected prospectively) of adult victims of blunt trauma in a period of 15 months. Variables were compared between patients with abdominal injuries (AIS>0) detected by computed tomography or/and laparotomy (group I) and others (AIS=0, group II). Student's t, Fisher and qui-square tests were used for statistical analysis, considering p3) in head (18.5% vs. 7.9%), thorax (29.2% vs. 2.4%) and extremities (40.0% vs. 13.7%). The highest odds ratios for the diagnosis of abdominal injuries were associated flail chest (21.8) and pelvic fractures (21.0). Abdominal injuries were more frequently observed in patients with hemodynamic instability, changes in Glasgow coma scale and severe lesions to the head, chest and extremities.

  19. The accuracy of chest sonography in the diagnosis of small pleural effusion

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kocijancic, I.

    2003-01-01

    Background. The aim of the study was to evaluate the accuracy of chest sonography in the radiological diagnosis of small pleural effusions. Patients and methods. Patients referred for abdominal and/or chest sonographies for various reasons were examined for sonographic features of pleural effusion. From January 1997 till January 2000, 69 patients were included into the study. Fifty-two patients were found to have pleural effusion not exceeding 15 mm in depth, the rest of them served as controls. Subsequently erect posteroanterior and expiratory lateral decubitus projections were done in all patients. Results. Compared to radiological examination chest sonography had a positive predictive value of 92% in the diagnosis of small pleural effusions in our study population. The mean thickness of fluid was 9.2 mm on ultrasonography and 7.6 mm on expiratory lateral decubitus views (P<0.01). Conclusions. Chest sonography showed a high degree of accuracy for demonstrating small pleural effusions and could replace lateral decubitus chest radiographs adequately. (author)

  20. Can ultrasound extended emergency (EFAST) replace the chest radiograph in the initial approach to trauma?

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aguirre Jimenez, Marcela

    2010-01-01

    The sensitivity diagnosed between ultrasound Extended emergency (EFAST) and portable radiography was compared. Life-threatening pathologies are detected in the initial approach to trauma, through an analysis comparative between EFAST and portable chest radiography. So, the need or not both studies or if the use of EFAST as the only diagnostic method in primary evaluation of trauma can be limited. The study has concluded that the EFAST can be used as the only tool for polytrauma patients, although in this analysis the sample has been very small [es

  1. Selective common and uncommon imaging manifestations of blunt nonaortic chest trauma: when time is of the essence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Altoos, Rola; Carr, Robert; Chung, Jonathan; Stern, Eric; Nevrekar, Dipti

    2015-01-01

    This is a pictorial essay in which we review and illustrate a variety of thoracic injuries related to blunt trauma. Non-aortic blunt thoracic trauma can be divided anatomically into injuries of the chest wall, lungs, pleura, mediastinum, and diaphragm. Some injuries involve more than one anatomic compartment, and multiple injuries commonly coexist. This article provides common imaging findings and discussion of both common and uncommon but critical thoracic injuries encountered. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  2. A method to detect occult pneumothorax with chest radiography.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matsumoto, Shokei; Kishikawa, Masanobu; Hayakawa, Koichi; Narumi, Atsushi; Matsunami, Katsutoshi; Kitano, Mitsuhide

    2011-04-01

    Small pneumothoraces are often not visible on supine screening chest radiographs because they develop anteriorly to the lung. These pneumothoraces are termed occult. Occult pneumothoraces account for an astonishingly high 52% to 63% of all traumatic pneumothoraces. A 19-year-old obese woman was involved in a head-on car accident. The admission anteroposterior chest radiographs were unremarkable. Because of the presence of right chest tenderness and an abrasion, we suspected the presence of a pneumothorax. Thus, we decided to take a supine oblique chest radiograph of the right side of the thorax, which clearly revealed a visceral pleural line, consistent with a diagnosis of traumatic pneumothorax. A pneumothorax may be present when a supine chest radiograph reveals either an apparent deepening of the costophrenic angle (the "deep sulcus sign") or the presence of 2 diaphragm-lung interfaces (the "double diaphragm sign"). However, in practice, supine chest radiographs have poor sensitivity for occult pneumothoraces. Oblique chest radiograph is a useful and fast screening tool that should be considered for cases of blunt chest trauma, especially when transport of critically ill patients to the computed tomographic suite is dangerous or when imminent transfer to another hospital is being arranged and early diagnosis of an occult pneumothorax is essential. Copyright © 2010 American College of Emergency Physicians. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Single-incision video-assisted thoracoscopic evaluation and emergent surgery for severe lung and chest wall injury after thoracic trauma in a water park.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sesma, Julio; Alvarez, Melodie; Lirio, Francisco; Galvez, Carlos; Galiana, Maria; Baschwitz, Benno; Fornes, Francisca; Bolufer, Sergio

    2017-08-01

    Thoracic trauma is a challenging situation with potential severe chest wall and intrathoracic organ injuries. We present a case of emergent surgery in a 23-year-old man with hemorrhagic shock due to massive lung and chest wall injury after thoracic trauma in a water slide. We performed a SI-VATS approach in order to define intrathoracic and chest wall injuries, and once checked the extension of the chest wall injury, we added a middle size thoracotomy just over the affected area in order to stabilize rib fractures with Judet plates, that had caused massive laceration in left lower lobe (LLL) and injured the pericardium causing myocardical tear. After checking bronchial and vascular viability of LLL we suggested a lung parenchyma preserving technique with PTFE protected pulmonary primary suture in order to avoid a lobectomy. Chest tubes were removed on 3 rd postoperative day and patient was discharged on 14 th postoperative day. He has already recovered his normal activity 6 months after surgery.

  4. Non-tuberculous mycobacterial lung disease: diagnosis based on computed tomography of the chest

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kwak, Nakwon; Han, Sung Koo; Yim, Jae-Joon [Seoul National University College of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, 101 Daehak-Ro, Jongno-Gu, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Chang Hyun; Lee, Hyun-Ju [Seoul National University College of Medicine, Department of Radiology, and Institute of Radiation Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Kang, Young Ae [Yonsei University College of Medicine, Division of Pulmonology, Department of Internal Medicine, Severance Hospital, Institute of Chest Diseases, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Jae Ho [Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Department of Internal Medicine, Seongnam, Gyeonggi-do (Korea, Republic of)

    2016-12-15

    To elucidate the accuracy and inter-observer agreement of non-tuberculous mycobacterial lung disease (NTM-LD) diagnosis based on chest CT findings. Two chest radiologists and two pulmonologists interpreted chest CTs of 66 patients with NTM-LD, 33 with pulmonary tuberculosis and 33 with non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis. These observers selected one of these diagnoses for each case without knowing any clinical information except age and sex. Sensitivity and specificity were calculated according to degree of observer confidence. Inter-observer agreement was assessed using Fleiss' κ values. Multiple logistic regression was performed to elucidate which radiological features led to the correct diagnosis. The sensitivity of NTM-LD diagnosis was 56.4 % (95 % CI 47.9-64.7) and specificity 80.3 % (73.1-86.0). The specificity of NTM-LD diagnosis increased with confidence: 44.4 % (20.5-71.3) for possible, 77.4 % (67.4-85.0) for probable, 95.2 % (87.2-98.2) for definite (P < 0.001) diagnoses. Inter-observer agreement for NTM-LD diagnosis was moderate (κ = 0.453). Tree-in-bud pattern (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 6.24, P < 0.001), consolidation (aOR 1.92, P = 0.036) and atelectasis (aOR 3.73, P < 0.001) were associated with correct NTM-LD diagnoses, whereas presence of pleural effusion (aOR 0.05, P < 0.001) led to false diagnoses. NTM-LD diagnosis based on chest CT findings is specific but not sensitive. (orig.)

  5. Frequency of myocardial injury after blunt chest trauma as evaluated by radionuclide angiography

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sutherland, G.R.; Driedger, A.A.; Holliday, R.L.; Cheung, H.W.; Sibbald, W.J.

    1983-01-01

    Seventy-seven patients who had sustained multisystem trauma, including severe blunt chest injury, were prospectively evaluated to assess the frequency of associated traumatic myocardial injury. Traumatic injury to either the right or left ventricle was defined by the presence of discrete abnormalities of wall motion on electrocardiographically gated cardiac scintigraphy in patients without a clinical history of heart disease. Forty-two patients (55%) (Group 1) had focal abnormalities of wall motion; 27 involved the right ventricle, 7 the left ventricle, 7 were biventricular, and 1 involved only the septum. Both the right and left ventricular ejection fractions were significantly lower (31 +/- 11% and 47 +/- 14%, respectively) than those in the 35 traumatized patients without wall motion abnormalities on scintigraphy (Group 2) (49 +/- 8% and 58 +/- 11%, respectively). Repeat scintigraphic examination in 32 Group 1 patients at a time remote from initial injury showed improvement or resolution of previously defined focal wall motion abnormalities in 27 of 32 patients (84%). The electrocardiogram and serum enzyme tests were insensitive indexes of traumatic myocardial injury when defined by the scintigraphic abnormalities. Thus, severe blunt chest trauma results in a higher frequency of traumatic myocardial injury than heretofore recognized, and frequently involves the anteriorly situated right ventricle

  6. Detection of alveolar epithelial injury by 99mTc-DTPA radioaerosol inhalation lung scan following blunt chest trauma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Okudan, B.; Han, S.; Baldemir, M.; Yildiz, M.

    2004-01-01

    DTPA clearance rate is a reliable index of alveolar epithelial permeability, and is a highly sensitive marker of pulmonary epithelial damage, even of mild degree. In this study, 99m Tc-DTPA aerosol inhalation scintigraphy was used to assess the pulmonary epithelial membrane permeability and to investigate the possible application of this permeability value as an indicator of early alveolar or interstitial changes in patients with blunt chest trauma. A total of 26 patients was chest trauma (4 female, 22 male, 31-80 yrs, mean age; 53±13 yrs) who were referred to the emergency department in our hospital participated in this study. Technetium-99m diethylene triamine pentaacetic acid (DTPA) aerosol inhalation scintigraphy was performed on the first and thirtieth days after trauma. Clearance half times (T 1/2 ) were calculated by placing a mono-exponential fit on the curves. Penetration index (PI) was calculated on the first-minute image. On the first day, mean T 1/2 value of the whole lung was 63±19 minutes (min), and thirtieth day mean T 1/2 value was 67±21 min. On the first day, mean PI values of the lung and 30th day mean PI value were 0.60±0.05, and 0.63 ±0.05, respectively. Significant changes were observed in radioaerosol clearance and penetration indices. Following chest trauma, clearance of 99m Tc-DTPA increased owing to breakdown of the alveolar-capillary barrier. This increase in the epithelial permeability of the lung appears to be an early manifestation of lung disease that may lead to efficient therapy in the early phase. (author)

  7. Role of contrast-enhanced helical CT in the evaluation of acute thoracic aortic injuries after blunt chest trauma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Scaglione, M.; Pinto, A.; Pinto, F.; Romano, L.; Ragozzino, A.; Grassi, R.

    2001-01-01

    The purpose of this retrospective study was to determine the value of contrast-enhanced helical CT for detecting and managing acute thoracic aortic injury (ATAI). Between June 1995 and February 2000, 1419 consecutive chest CT examinations were performed in the setting of major blunt trauma. The following CT findings were considered indicative of ATAI: intimal flap; pseudoaneurysm; contour irregularity; lumen abnormality; and extravasation of contrast material. On the basis of these direct findings no further diagnostic investigations were performed. Isolated mediastinal hematoma on CT scans was considered an indirect sign of ATAI: In these cases, thoracic aortography was performed even if CT indicated normal aorta. Seventy-seven patients had abnormal CT scans: Among the 23 patients with direct CT signs, acute thoracic aortic injuries was confirmed at thoracotomy in 21. Two false-positive cases were observed. The 54 remaining patients had isolated mediastinal hematoma without aortic injuries at CT and corresponding negative angiograms. The 1342 patients with negative CT scans were included in the 8-month follow-up program and did not show any adverse sequela based on clinical and radiographic criteria. Contrast-enhanced helical CT has a critical role in the exclusion of thoracic aortic injuries in patient with major blunt chest trauma and prevents unnecessary thoracic aortography. Direct CT signs of ATAI do not require further diagnostic investigations to confirm the diagnosis: Isolated aortic bands or contour vessel abnormalities should be first considered as possible artifacts or related to non-traumatic etiologies especially when mediastinal hematoma is absent. In cases of isolated mediastinal hematoma other possible sources of bleeding should be considered before directing patients to thoracic aortography. (orig.)

  8. Blunt Chest Trauma in Mice after Cigarette Smoke-Exposure: Effects of Mechanical Ventilation with 100% O2.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wagner, Katja; Gröger, Michael; McCook, Oscar; Scheuerle, Angelika; Asfar, Pierre; Stahl, Bettina; Huber-Lang, Markus; Ignatius, Anita; Jung, Birgit; Duechs, Matthias; Möller, Peter; Georgieff, Michael; Calzia, Enrico; Radermacher, Peter; Wagner, Florian

    2015-01-01

    Cigarette smoking (CS) aggravates post-traumatic acute lung injury and increases ventilator-induced lung injury due to more severe tissue inflammation and apoptosis. Hyper-inflammation after chest trauma is due to the physical damage, the drop in alveolar PO2, and the consecutive hypoxemia and tissue hypoxia. Therefore, we tested the hypotheses that 1) CS exposure prior to blunt chest trauma causes more severe post-traumatic inflammation and thereby aggravates lung injury, and that 2) hyperoxia may attenuate this effect. Immediately after blast wave-induced blunt chest trauma, mice (n=32) with or without 3-4 weeks of CS exposure underwent 4 hours of pressure-controlled, thoraco-pulmonary compliance-titrated, lung-protective mechanical ventilation with air or 100% O2. Hemodynamics, lung mechanics, gas exchange, and acid-base status were measured together with blood and tissue cytokine and chemokine concentrations, heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), activated caspase-3, and hypoxia-inducible factor 1-α (HIF-1α) expression, nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) activation, nitrotyrosine formation, purinergic receptor 2X4 (P2XR4) and 2X7 (P2XR7) expression, and histological scoring. CS exposure prior to chest trauma lead to higher pulmonary compliance and lower PaO2 and Horovitz-index, associated with increased tissue IL-18 and blood MCP-1 concentrations, a 2-4-fold higher inflammatory cell infiltration, and more pronounced alveolar membrane thickening. This effect coincided with increased activated caspase-3, nitrotyrosine, P2XR4, and P2XR7 expression, NF-κB activation, and reduced HIF-1α expression. Hyperoxia did not further affect lung mechanics, gas exchange, pulmonary and systemic cytokine and chemokine concentrations, or histological scoring, except for some patchy alveolar edema in CS exposed mice. However, hyperoxia attenuated tissue HIF-1α, nitrotyrosine, P2XR7, and P2XR4 expression, while it increased HO-1 formation in CS exposed mice. Overall, CS exposure aggravated post

  9. Comparative Effectiveness of Emergency Resuscitative Thoracotomy versus Closed Chest Compressions among Patients with Critical Blunt Trauma: A Nationwide Cohort Study in Japan.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kodai Suzuki

    Full Text Available Although emergency resuscitative thoracotomy is performed as a salvage maneuver for critical blunt trauma patients, evidence supporting superior effectiveness of emergency resuscitative thoracotomy compared to conventional closed-chest compressions remains insufficient. The objective of this study was to investigate whether emergency resuscitative thoracotomy at the emergency department or in the operating room was associated with favourable outcomes after blunt trauma and to compare its effectiveness with that of closed-chest compressions.This was a retrospective nationwide cohort study. Data were obtained from the Japan Trauma Data Bank for the period between 2004 and 2012. The primary and secondary outcomes were patient survival rates 24 h and 28 d after emergency department arrival. Statistical analyses were performed using multivariable generalized mixed-effects regression analysis. We adjusted for the effects of different hospitals by introducing random intercepts in regression analysis to account for the differential quality of emergency resuscitative thoracotomy at hospitals where patients in cardiac arrest were treated. Sensitivity analyses were performed using propensity score matching.In total, 1,377 consecutive, critical blunt trauma patients who received cardiopulmonary resuscitation in the emergency department or operating room were included in the study. Of these patients, 484 (35.1% underwent emergency resuscitative thoracotomy and 893 (64.9% received closed-chest compressions. Compared to closed-chest compressions, emergency resuscitative thoracotomy was associated with lower survival rate 24 h after emergency department arrival (4.5% vs. 17.5%, respectively, P < 0.001 and 28 d after arrival (1.2% vs. 6.0%, respectively, P < 0.001. Multivariable generalized mixed-effects regression analysis with and without a propensity score-matched dataset revealed that the odds ratio for an unfavorable survival rate after 24 h was lower for

  10. The imaging of paediatric thoracic trauma

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Moore, Michael A.; Westra, Sjirk J. [Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Department of Radiology, Boston, MA (United States); Wallace, E.C. [UMass Memorial Medical Center and University of Massachusetts Medical School, Department of Radiology, Worcester, MA (United States)

    2009-05-15

    Major chest trauma in a child is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. It is most frequently encountered within the context of multisystem injury following high-energy trauma such as a motor vehicle accident. The anatomic-physiologic make-up of children is such that the pattern of ensuing injuries differs from that in their adult counterparts. Pulmonary contusion, pneumothorax, haemothorax and rib fractures are most commonly encountered. Although clinically more serious and potentially life threatening, tracheobronchial tear, aortic rupture and cardiac injuries are seldom observed. The most appropriate imaging algorithm is one tailored to the individual child and is guided by the nature of the traumatic event as well as clinical parameters. Chest radiography remains the first and most important imaging tool in paediatric chest trauma and should be supplemented with US and CT as indicated. Multidetector CT allows for the accurate diagnosis of most traumatic injuries, but should be only used in selected cases as its routine use in all paediatric patients would result in an unacceptably high radiation exposure to a large number of patients without proven clinical benefit. When CT is used, appropriate modifications should be incorporated so as to minimize the radiation dose to the patient whilst preserving diagnostic integrity. (orig.)

  11. The imaging of paediatric thoracic trauma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Moore, Michael A.; Westra, Sjirk J.; Wallace, E.C.

    2009-01-01

    Major chest trauma in a child is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. It is most frequently encountered within the context of multisystem injury following high-energy trauma such as a motor vehicle accident. The anatomic-physiologic make-up of children is such that the pattern of ensuing injuries differs from that in their adult counterparts. Pulmonary contusion, pneumothorax, haemothorax and rib fractures are most commonly encountered. Although clinically more serious and potentially life threatening, tracheobronchial tear, aortic rupture and cardiac injuries are seldom observed. The most appropriate imaging algorithm is one tailored to the individual child and is guided by the nature of the traumatic event as well as clinical parameters. Chest radiography remains the first and most important imaging tool in paediatric chest trauma and should be supplemented with US and CT as indicated. Multidetector CT allows for the accurate diagnosis of most traumatic injuries, but should be only used in selected cases as its routine use in all paediatric patients would result in an unacceptably high radiation exposure to a large number of patients without proven clinical benefit. When CT is used, appropriate modifications should be incorporated so as to minimize the radiation dose to the patient whilst preserving diagnostic integrity. (orig.)

  12. Lesão da valva tricúspide por trauma torácico penetrante Lesión de la válvula tricúspide por trauma torácico penetrante Tricuspid valve lesion due to penetrating chest trauma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Renata de Carvalho Bicalho Carneiro

    2010-02-01

    Full Text Available As lesões da valva tricúspide decorrentes de trauma torácico penetrante são raras e frequentemente subdiagnosticadas. O objetivo deste relato é descrever um caso de insuficiência tricúspide grave secundária a acidente por arma branca com evolução insidiosa, diagnosticada 19 anos após o ocorrido. O caso enfatiza a importância do acompanhamento adequado dos pacientes vítimas de trauma torácico penetrante por longo período após a injúria, para detecção de possíveis complicações tardias do trauma.Las lesiones de la válvula tricúspide resultantes de trauma torácico penetrante son raras y frecuentemente subdiagnosticadas. El objetivo de este relato es describir un caso de insuficiencia tricúspide severa secundaria a accidente por arma blanca con evolución insidiosa, diagnosticada 19 años tras lo sucedido. El caso enfatiza la importancia del seguimiento adecuado de los pacientes víctimas de trauma torácico penetrante por largo período tras la injuria, para detección de posibles complicaciones tardías del trauma.Tricuspid valve lesions caused by penetrating chest trauma are rare and often underdiagnosed. The objective of this report is to describe a case of severe tricuspid insufficiency secondary to a knifing incident with an insidious evolution, diagnosed 19 years after the incident. The case emphasizes the importance of adequate follow-up of patients that are victims of penetrating chest trauma for a long period after the injury, to detect possible late complications of the trauma.

  13. The forgotten view: Chest X-ray - Lateral view

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abraham M. Ittyachen

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available With CT (computed tomography chest gaining more importance as a diagnostic tool, chest X-ray especially the lateral view is taken less commonly nowadays. Besides CT chest is also proven to be superior to chest X-ray in patients with major blunt trauma. We are presenting a 68-year old male who was partially treated from outside for a left sided pneumonia. He came to our hospital because of persisting chest pain. Chest X-ray, frontal view (postero-anterior was almost normal except for a mild opacity in the left lower zone. CT scan of the chest revealed a fluid collection posteriorly enclosed within enhancing pleura. Chest X-ray, left lateral view showed a corresponding posterior pleural based opacity. We are presenting this case to highlight the importance of the lateral view of the chest X-ray. In selected cases there is still a role for the lateral view. With the three dimensional visualization provided by the CT, the lateral view of the chest may be easier to understand. Consequent to the initial diagnosis by CT further follow up can be done with the chest X-ray. In a limited way this mitigates unnecessary expenditure and more importantly prevents the patient from exposure to harmful radiation in the form of repeated CT.

  14. The usefulness of sagittal reformation for diagnosis of sternal fracture

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Im, Dong Jin; Hahn, Seok; Kim, Young Ju [Dept. of Radiology, Wonju Severance Christian Hospital, Yonsei University Wonju College of Medicine, Wonju (Korea, Republic of)

    2014-01-15

    The purpose of our study was to evaluate the usefulness of sagittal reformation of chest computed tomography for the diagnosis of sternal fracture after trauma. We retrospectively reviewed medical records and chest computer tomography (CT) of 716 patients in the emergency department after trauma between January and December 2010. Two radiologists investigated chest CT images. We investigated numbers and locations of sternal fractures on axial images only and on both axial and sagittal images for each radiologist. First, radiologist found sternal fractures in 58 patients (70.7%) on only axial images, and 80 (97.5%) on both axial and sagittal images. Second, radiologist found fractures in 67 patients (81.7%) on axial image only and 81 (98.7%) on both axial and sagittal images. The sensitivity increased after adding sagittal reformation images for each radiologist (p < 0.05, respectively). On the axial images, the interobserver agreement was low (k 0.596) between the two radiologists. However, on both axial and sagittal images, the interobserver agreement increased (k = 0.872). Sagittal reformation of chest CT increases the chance of diagnosis for sternal fracture and leads to early diagnosis resulting in appropriate treatment.

  15. The usefulness of sagittal reformation for diagnosis of sternal fracture

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Im, Dong Jin; Hahn, Seok; Kim, Young Ju

    2014-01-01

    The purpose of our study was to evaluate the usefulness of sagittal reformation of chest computed tomography for the diagnosis of sternal fracture after trauma. We retrospectively reviewed medical records and chest computer tomography (CT) of 716 patients in the emergency department after trauma between January and December 2010. Two radiologists investigated chest CT images. We investigated numbers and locations of sternal fractures on axial images only and on both axial and sagittal images for each radiologist. First, radiologist found sternal fractures in 58 patients (70.7%) on only axial images, and 80 (97.5%) on both axial and sagittal images. Second, radiologist found fractures in 67 patients (81.7%) on axial image only and 81 (98.7%) on both axial and sagittal images. The sensitivity increased after adding sagittal reformation images for each radiologist (p < 0.05, respectively). On the axial images, the interobserver agreement was low (k 0.596) between the two radiologists. However, on both axial and sagittal images, the interobserver agreement increased (k = 0.872). Sagittal reformation of chest CT increases the chance of diagnosis for sternal fracture and leads to early diagnosis resulting in appropriate treatment.

  16. Diffuse Subcutaneous Emphysema and Pneumomediastinum Secondary to a Minor Blunt Chest Trauma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maximilian Andreas Storz

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Full medical evaluation is paramount for all trauma patients. Minor traumas are often overlooked, as they are thought to bear low injury potential. In this case report, we describe the case of a 48-year-old man presenting to our Emergency Department with mild to moderate right-sided shoulder and scapular pain following a fall from his own height ten days previously. Clinical and paraclinical investigations (CT revealed diffuse right shoulder pain, with crepitations on palpation of the neck, right shoulder, and right lateral chest wall. Computed tomography (CT demonstrated right-sided costal fractures (ribs 7 to 9, with diffuse subcutaneous emphysema and pneumomediastinum due to laceration of the visceral and parietal pleura and the adjacent lung parenchyma. In addition, a small ipsilateral pneumothorax was found. Surprisingly, the clinical status was only minimally affected by mild to moderate pain and minor functional impairment.

  17. Trauma Imaging: A Literature Review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vela, Jason Heath; Wertz, Christopher Ira; Onstott, Kimberly L; Wertz, Joss R

    2017-01-01

    To inform radiologic technologists about which imaging modalities and examinations are best suited for evaluating specific anatomical structures in patients who have sustained a traumatic injury. Two scholarly research databases were searched to identify articles focused on trauma imaging of the head, cervical spine, thorax, abdomen, and pelvis. Articles focused on trauma diagnosis were excluded. Thirty-two articles were selected for analysis. Physical examination and plain-film radiographs typically are used to assess nasal bone fracures. Computed tomography (CT) can be used to assess zygomaticomaxillary complex, mandibular, and temporal bone fractures. Traumatic brain injuries are difficult to assess, and broad classifications are used. Depending on the severity of cervical spine trauma, plain-film radiographs or CT imaging is adequate, with magnetic resonance imaging used as a means for further evaluation. Trauma to the thorax typically is assessed with radiography and CT, and CT is recommended for assesment of abdominal and pelvic trauma. The literature was consistent regarding which examinations to perform to best evaluate suspected injuries to the chest, abdomen, and pelvis. The need for, and correct use of, imaging in evaluating trauma to the head and cervical spine is more controversial. Despite the need for additional research, emergency department care providers should be familiar with the structures most commonly injured during trauma and the role of medical imaging for diagnosis.

  18. Predictors of Intrathoracic Injury after Blunt Torso Trauma in Children Presenting to an Emergency Department as Trauma Activations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McNamara, Caitlin; Mironova, Irina; Lehman, Erik; Olympia, Robert P

    2017-06-01

    Thoracic injuries are a major cause of death associated with blunt trauma in children. Screening for injury with chest x-ray study, compared with chest computed tomography (CT) scan, has been controversial, weighing the benefits of specificity with the detriment of radiation exposure. To identify predictors of thoracic injury in children presenting as trauma activations to a Level I trauma center after blunt torso trauma, and to compare these predictors with those previously reported in the literature. We performed a retrospective chart review of pediatric patients (trauma center between June 2010 and June 2013 as a trauma activation after sustaining a blunt torso trauma and who received diagnostic imaging of the chest as part of their initial evaluation. Data analysis was performed on 166 patients. There were 33 patients (20%) with 45 abnormalities detected on diagnostic imaging of the chest, with the most common abnormalities being lung contusion (36%), pneumothorax (22%), and rib fracture (13%). Statistically significant predictors of abnormal diagnostic imaging of the chest included Glasgow Coma Scale score (GCS) trauma include GCS < 15, hypoxia, syncope/dizziness, cervical spine tenderness, thoraco-lumbar-sacral spine tenderness, and abdominal/pelvic tenderness. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Routine transesophageal echocardiography for the diagnosis of aortic disruption in trauma patients without enlarged mediastinum.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vignon, P; Lagrange, P; Boncoeur, M P; Francois, B; Gastinne, H; Lang, R M

    1996-03-01

    To assess the value of routine transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) in diagnosing traumatic disruption of the aorta (TDA) in trauma patients presenting without enlarged mediastinum on chest x-ray films. Prospective study. TEE was routinely performed to exclude the presence of TDA in patients who sustained severe trauma secondary to abrupt deceleration collisions and presented with an upper mediastinum of fewer than 8 cm on supine chest x-ray films. Patients were divided into two groups according to the presence (group I) or absence (group II) of mediastinal hematoma diagnosed during TEE examination. Radiographic signs regarded as indicators of the presence of TDA were evaluated in both groups. Among the 40 consecutive patients studied, TEE demonstrated two cases of TDA associated with a mediastinal hematoma that were confirmed by both aortography and surgery. One of the patients had a normal mediastinum on presentation chest x-ray films, and the other only exhibited a blurred aortic knob. Radiographic mediastinal abnormalities suggestive of TDA were observed in 13 patients, but chest x-ray films were unremarkable in 12 patients. Twenty patients had multiple rib fractures. The frequency of chest radiographic abnormalities was not significantly higher in group I (n = 6) when compared with group II patients (n = 34). TEE examination demonstrated a normal thoracic aorta in 35 patients and was nondiagnostic in 3 patients (normal aortography). TEE should be routinely performed in victims of violent deceleration collisions, even in patients presenting apparently normal mediastinum on supine chest radiography.

  20. Factors Associated with Complications in Older Adults with Isolated Blunt Chest Trauma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lotfipour, Shahram

    2009-05-01

    Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of adverse events in elderly trauma patients with isolated blunt thoracic trauma, and to identify variables associated with these adverse events.METHODS: We performed a chart review of 160 trauma patients age 65 and older with significant blunt thoracic trauma, drawn from an American College of Surgeons Level I Trauma Center registry. Patients with serious injury to other body areas were excluded to prevent confounding the cause of adverse events. Adverse events were defined as acute respiratory distress syndrome or pneumonia, unanticipated intubation, transfer to the intensive care unit for hypoxemia, or death. Data collected included history, physical examination, radiographic findings, length of hospital stay, and clinical outcomes.RESULTS: Ninety-nine patients had isolated chest injury, while 61 others had other organ systems injured and were excluded. Sixteen patients developed adverse events [16.2% 95% confidence interval (CI 9.5-24.9%], including two deaths. Adverse events were experienced by 19.2%, 6.1%, and 28.6% of those patients 65-74, 75-84, and >/=85 years old, respectively. The mean length of stay was 14.6 days in patients with an adverse event and 5.8 days in patients without. Post hoc analysis revealed that all 16 patients with an adverse event had one or more of the following: age >/=85, initial systolic blood pressure <90 mmHg, hemothorax, pneumothorax, three or more unilateral rib fractures, or pulmonary contusion (sensitivity 100%, CI 79.4-100%; specificity 38.6%, CI 28.1-49.9%.CONCLUSION: Adverse events from isolated thoracic trauma in elderly patients complicate 16% of our sample. These criteria were 100% sensitive and 38.5% specific for these adverse events. This study is a first step to identifying variables that might aid in identifying patients at high risk for serious adverse events.

  1. Blunt Chest Trauma in Mice after Cigarette Smoke-Exposure: Effects of Mechanical Ventilation with 100% O2.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Katja Wagner

    Full Text Available Cigarette smoking (CS aggravates post-traumatic acute lung injury and increases ventilator-induced lung injury due to more severe tissue inflammation and apoptosis. Hyper-inflammation after chest trauma is due to the physical damage, the drop in alveolar PO2, and the consecutive hypoxemia and tissue hypoxia. Therefore, we tested the hypotheses that 1 CS exposure prior to blunt chest trauma causes more severe post-traumatic inflammation and thereby aggravates lung injury, and that 2 hyperoxia may attenuate this effect. Immediately after blast wave-induced blunt chest trauma, mice (n=32 with or without 3-4 weeks of CS exposure underwent 4 hours of pressure-controlled, thoraco-pulmonary compliance-titrated, lung-protective mechanical ventilation with air or 100% O2. Hemodynamics, lung mechanics, gas exchange, and acid-base status were measured together with blood and tissue cytokine and chemokine concentrations, heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1, activated caspase-3, and hypoxia-inducible factor 1-α (HIF-1α expression, nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB activation, nitrotyrosine formation, purinergic receptor 2X4 (P2XR4 and 2X7 (P2XR7 expression, and histological scoring. CS exposure prior to chest trauma lead to higher pulmonary compliance and lower PaO2 and Horovitz-index, associated with increased tissue IL-18 and blood MCP-1 concentrations, a 2-4-fold higher inflammatory cell infiltration, and more pronounced alveolar membrane thickening. This effect coincided with increased activated caspase-3, nitrotyrosine, P2XR4, and P2XR7 expression, NF-κB activation, and reduced HIF-1α expression. Hyperoxia did not further affect lung mechanics, gas exchange, pulmonary and systemic cytokine and chemokine concentrations, or histological scoring, except for some patchy alveolar edema in CS exposed mice. However, hyperoxia attenuated tissue HIF-1α, nitrotyrosine, P2XR7, and P2XR4 expression, while it increased HO-1 formation in CS exposed mice. Overall, CS exposure

  2. Outcome of penetrating chest injuries in an urban level I trauma center in the Netherlands.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heus, C; Mellema, J J; Giannakopoulos, G F; Zuidema, W P

    2015-04-25

    Most patients with penetrating chest injuries benefit from early treatment with chest tube drainage or surgery. Although penetrating chest injury is not uncommon, few descriptive studies are published, especially in Europe. The aim of this study was to review our experience and further improve our management of penetrating chest injuries in a level I trauma center in the Netherlands. All patients with penetrating chest injury between August 2004 and December 2012 were included. Demographics, mechanism of injury, physiological parameters, Injury Severity Scores (ISS), surgical and non-surgical treatment, length of intensive care unit (ICU) stay, length of hospital stay (LOS), complications and rate of mortality were collected. A total of 159 patients were analyzed. Patients included 116 (73 %) stab wounds and 34 (21 %) gunshot wounds. In 27 patients (17 %), cardiac injury was seen. The mean ISS was 12. Almost half of all patients (49 %) were treated with only chest tube drainage. Alternatively, surgical treatment was performed in 24 % of all cases. Anterolateral incision was most frequently used to gain access to the thoracic cavity. The mean LOS was 9 days. Among all patients, 17 % were admitted to the ICU with a mean stay of 3 days. In 18 (11 %) patients, one or more complications occurred. The 30-day mortality was 7.5 %. Patients presenting with penetrating chest injury are not uncommon in the Netherlands and can mostly be treated conservatively. In one-fourth of the patients, surgical treatment is performed. A structural and vigorous approach is needed for good clinical outcome.

  3. The trauma registry compared to All Patient Refined Diagnosis Groups (APR-DRG).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hackworth, Jodi; Askegard-Giesmann, Johanna; Rouse, Thomas; Benneyworth, Brian

    2017-05-01

    Literature has shown there are significant differences between administrative databases and clinical registry data. Our objective was to compare the identification of trauma patients using All Patient Refined Diagnosis Related Groups (APR-DRG) as compared to the Trauma Registry and estimate the effects of those discrepancies on utilization. Admitted pediatric patients from 1/2012-12/2013 were abstracted from the trauma registry. The patients were linked to corresponding administrative data using the Pediatric Health Information System database at a single children's hospital. APR-DRGs referencing trauma were used to identify trauma patients. We compared variables related to utilization and diagnosis to determine the level of agreement between the two datasets. There were 1942 trauma registry patients and 980 administrative records identified with trauma-specific APR-DRG during the study period. Forty-two percent (816/1942) of registry records had an associated trauma-specific APR-DRG; 69% of registry patients requiring ICU care had trauma APR-DRGs; 73% of registry patients with head injuries had trauma APR-DRGs. Only 21% of registry patients requiring surgical management had associated trauma APR-DRGs, and 12.5% of simple fractures had associated trauma APR-DRGs. APR-DRGs appeared to only capture a fraction of the entire trauma population and it tends to be the more severely ill patients. As a result, the administrative data was not able to accurately answer hospital or operating room utilization as well as specific information on diagnosis categories regarding trauma patients. APR-DRG administrative data should not be used as the only data source for evaluating the needs of a trauma program. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Traumatic Hemothorax and Pneumothorax Detected by EFAST Compared with Chest Radio- graphy at Siriraj Hospital

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lertpong Somcharit

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Objective: EFAST is the evaluation of thoracoabdominal injury in trauma patients. This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic utility of EFAST for detection of traumatic pneumothorax and hemothorax compared to standard routine chest radiography at Siriraj Hospital. Methods: From January 2013 to April 2015, 119 patients who visited the Division of Trauma, Siriraj Hospital were included in the study. EFAST was performed during the initial resuscitation of the injured patients and plain chest radiographs were obtained as routine hospital protocols. Patients’ charts were retrospectively reviewed and real-time EFAST examinations were compared to the results of chest radiographs. EFAST diagnosis was con- sidered positive when there was absence of normal sliding lung signs (pneumothorax and presence of free fluid above the diaphragm (hemothorax. Results: The sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV of EFAST for the diagnosis of pneumothorax and hemothorax were 76%, 100%, 100%, and 93%, respectively, whereas the sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV of plain chest radiographs were 80%, 100%, 100% and 94.9%, respectively. Conclusion: EFAST shows similar diagnostic accuracy compared to plain supine AP chest radiograph. The results are operator-dependent and higher accuracy can be achieved by well-trained emergency health care personnel. EFAST can be performed during resuscitation, and still provides promising results which can lead to early treat- ment procedure. Under experienced hands, EFAST is considered effective. This study suggests that it should be used as a complimentary procedure in all thoracic injured patients’ evaluations.

  5. Intrathoracic lipoma masquerading as subclavian artery trauma.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Munro, P T

    2012-02-03

    A 58 year old man was admitted to the accident and emergency department following an industrial accident in which he sustained a three part fracture dislocation of his right humerus. Chest radiography revealed a large mass in the right upper hemithorax and, when the patient became hypotensive, an emergency thoracotomy was performed. The mass was found to be a massive intrathoracic lipoma. This case shows how preexisting intrathoracic lesions may be mistaken for subclavian or great vessel trauma following violent shoulder girdle injury. The differential diagnosis of traumatic and non-traumatic intrathoracic mass lesions in chest radiography should be considered carefully.

  6. Trauma Reports. Volume 12, Number 6, November/December 2011

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-12-01

    lung injuries such as pneumothorax , Figure 3. Chest Radiograph of Intubated Trauma Patient with a Significant Pulmonary Contusion 6  Trauma ...Pulmonary Contusions Pulmonary contusions are a frequent complication of chest trauma and may have serious morbidity and mortality associated with...described in the medical literature by Morgani in 1761, when he noted extensive underlying parenchymal lung damage without evidence of chest wall trauma

  7. Changing pattern and outcome of pediatric chest injuries in urban Syria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Darwish, Bassam; Mahfouz, Mohammad Z; Al-Nosairat, Saeed; Izzat, Mohammad Bashar

    2018-01-01

    Background Pediatric chest injuries were infrequent in our practice, but the outbreak of the Syrian crisis resulted in an increase in number and a change in the pattern of thoracic trauma incidents. We compared our experience of pediatric chest injuries before and during the crisis. Methods We reviewed the records of 256 children aged 12.8 ± 5 years who were admitted to our hospital with the diagnosis of chest trauma over a 12-year period. Collected data included mechanism of injury, associated injuries, method of management, length of hospital stay, complications, and mortality. Results The incidence of pediatric chest injuries increased significantly following the outbreak of the crisis, and penetrating injuries prevailed, mainly due to shrapnel, bullets, and stab wounds. Forty percent of patients with blunt injuries and 20% of those with penetrating injuries were managed conservatively, whereas urgent thoracotomies were indicated in 10%, mostly in patients with penetrating injuries. Associated injuries were more frequent in patients with blunt injuries and resulted in a longer hospital stay and an increased mortality rate. The overall mortality rate was 7.8% and it was higher in children younger than 7 years of age and in patients who had been subjected to blunt injuries. Conclusions There has been a recent substantial upsurge in the incidence of pediatric thoracic trauma, with a predominance of penetrating injuries. Most patients could be managed nonoperatively, but a small subset required an open thoracotomy. The presence of associated injuries constitutes the main determinant of prognosis in this group of patients.

  8. Chest Pain: The Need to Consider Less Frequent Diagnosis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pedro Magalhães

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Chest pain is one of the most frequent patient’s complaints. The commonest underlying causes are well known, but, sometimes, in some clinical scenarios, it is necessary to consider other diagnoses. We report a case of a 68-year-old Caucasian male, chronically hypertensive, who complained of recurrent episodes of chest pain and fever with elevated acute phase reactants. The first investigation was negative for some of the most likely diagnosis and he quickly improved with anti-inflammatory drugs. Over a few months, his symptoms continued to recur periodically, his hypertension was aggravated, and he developed headaches and lower limbs claudication. After a temporal artery biopsy that was negative for vasculitis, he underwent a positron emission tomography suggestive of Takayasu Arteritis. Takayasu Arteritis is a rare chronic granulomatous vasculitis of the aorta and its first-order branches affecting mostly females up to 50 years old. Chest pain is experienced by >40% of the patients and results from the inflammation of the aorta, pulmonary artery, or coronaries.

  9. Clinical Utility of Chest Computed Tomography in Patients with Rib Fractures CT Chest and Rib Fractures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chapman, Brandon C; Overbey, Douglas M; Tesfalidet, Feven; Schramm, Kristofer; Stovall, Robert T; French, Andrew; Johnson, Jeffrey L; Burlew, Clay C; Barnett, Carlton; Moore, Ernest E; Pieracci, Fredric M

    2016-12-01

    Chest CT is more sensitive than a chest X-ray (CXR) in diagnosing rib fractures; however, the clinical significance of these fractures remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to determine the added diagnostic use of chest CT performed after CXR in patients with either known or suspected rib fractures secondary to blunt trauma. Retrospective cohort study of blunt trauma patients with rib fractures at a level I trauma center that had both a CXR and a CT chest. The CT finding of ≥ 3 additional fractures in patients with ≤ 3 rib fractures on CXR was considered clinically meaningful. Student's t-test and chi-square analysis were used for comparison. We identified 499 patients with rib fractures: 93 (18.6%) had CXR only, 7 (1.4%) had chest CT only, and 399 (79.9%) had both CXR and chest CT. Among these 399 patients, a total of 1,969 rib fractures were identified: 1,467 (74.5%) were missed by CXR. The median number of additional fractures identified by CT was 3 (range, 4 - 15). Of 212 (53.1%) patients with a clinically meaningful increase in the number of fractures, 68 patients underwent one or more clinical interventions: 36 SICU admissions, 20 pain catheter placements, 23 epidural placements, and 3 SSRF. Additionally, 70 patients had a chest tube placed for retained hemothorax or occult pneumothorax. Overall, 138 patients (34.5%) had a change in clinical management based upon CT chest. The chest X-ray missed ~75% of rib fractures seen on chest CT. Although patients with a clinical meaningful increase in the number of rib fractures were more likely to be admitted to the intensive care unit, there was no associated improvement in pulmonary outcomes.

  10. Pneumothorax: from definition to diagnosis and treatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zarogoulidis, Paul; Kioumis, Ioannis; Pitsiou, Georgia; Porpodis, Konstantinos; Lampaki, Sofia; Papaiwannou, Antonis; Katsikogiannis, Nikolaos; Zaric, Bojan; Branislav, Perin; Secen, Nevena; Dryllis, Georgios; Machairiotis, Nikolaos; Rapti, Aggeliki; Zarogoulidis, Konstantinos

    2014-10-01

    Pneumothorax is an urgent situation that has to be treated immediately upon diagnosis. Pneumothorax is divided to primary and secondary. A primary pneumothorax is considered the one that occurs without an apparent cause and in the absence of significant lung disease. On the other hand secondary pneumothorax occurs in the presence of existing lung pathology. There is the case where an amount of air in the chest increases markedly and a one-way valve is formed leading to a tension pneumothorax. Unless reversed by effective treatment, this situation can progress and cause death. Pneumothorax can be caused by physical trauma to the chest or as a complication of medical or surgical intervention (biopsy). Symptoms typically include chest pain and shortness of breath. Diagnosis of a pneumothorax requires a chest X-ray or computed tomography (CT) scan. Small spontaneous pneumothoraces typically resolve without treatment and require only monitoring. In our current special issue we will present the definition, diagnosis and treatment of pneumothorax from different experts in the field, different countries and present different methods of treatment.

  11. Accuracy of the diagnosis of pleural effusion on supine chest X-ray

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Emamian, S.A.; Kaasboel, M.A.; Olsen, J.F.; Pedersen, J.F.

    1997-01-01

    Diagnosis of pleural effusion (PE) on supine chest X-ray (SCXR) is considered difficult. This study aimed at evaluating the accuracy of the diagnosis of PE on SCXR and was performed in two phases. At phase 1, a formula for the sonographic estimation of the volume of PE was established by correlating 24 measurements (in 7 patients in whom complete drainage was achieved) with the drained volumes. At phase two, 112 consecutive SCXRs were supplemented by sonography of the chest. The films were evaluated for the presence of PE and for the presence of different radiologic signs of PE. Sonography showed PE in 41 right and 30 left hemithoraces. The overall accuracy of the diagnosis of PE on SCXR was 82 %. Only one of the undiagnosed PEs had a volume of > 300 ml. The most accurate signs were increased density of the hemithorax, blunted costophrenic angle, and loss of the hemidiaphragm silhouette. (orig.). With 2 figs., 3 tabs

  12. Accuracy of chest radiographs in the emergency diagnosis of heart failure

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Studler, Ueli; Kretzschmar, Martin; Steinbrich, Wolfgang [University Hospital Basel, Department of Radiology, Basel (Switzerland); Christ, Michael; Breidthardt, Tobias; Noveanu, Markus; Perruchoud, Andre P.; Mueller, Christian [University Hospital Basel, Department of Internal Medicine, Basel (Switzerland); Schoetzau, Andreas [Institute of Biostatistics, Basel (Switzerland)

    2008-08-15

    The purpose of this study was to determine the diagnostic accuracy of chest radiographic findings of heart failure (HF) in current patients presenting with dyspnea in the emergency department. In a secondary analysis of the BASEL study, initial chest radiographs of 277 patients with acute dyspnea were evaluated by two radiologists blinded to the adjudicated diagnosis (56% had the final diagnosis of HF). Predefined radiographic criteria of HF were used. Statistical analysis included receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) analysis and calculation of a logistic regression model including B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels. The reader's overall impression showed the highest area under the ROC curve for the diagnosis of HF in both supine and erect patient positions (0.855 and 0.857). Among individual radiographic findings, peribronchial cuffing in the supine position (0.829) showed the highest accuracies. The lowest accuracy was found for the vascular pedicle width in the supine position (0.461). Logistic regression analysis showed no significant differences between the reader's overall impression, the radiographic model, and BNP testing. In our study, the combination of radiographic features provided valuable information and was of comparable accuracy as BNP-testing for the diagnosis of HF. (orig.)

  13. Computed tomography is not justified in every pediatric blunt trauma patient with a suspicious mechanism of injury.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hershkovitz, Yehuda; Zoarets, Itai; Stepansky, Albert; Kozer, Eran; Shapira, Zahar; Klin, Baruch; Halevy, Ariel; Jeroukhimov, Igor

    2014-07-01

    Computed tomography (CT) has become an important tool for the diagnosis of intra-abdominal and chest injuries in patients with blunt trauma. The role of CT in conscious asymptomatic patients with a suspicious mechanism of injury remains controversial. This controversy intensifies in the management of pediatric blunt trauma patients, who are much more susceptible to radiation exposure. The objective of this study was to evaluate the role of abdominal and chest CT imaging in asymptomatic pediatric patients with a suspicious mechanism of injury. Forty-two pediatric patients up to 15 years old were prospectively enrolled. All patients presented with a suspicious mechanism of blunt trauma and multisystem injury. They were neurologically intact and had no signs of injury to the abdomen or chest. Patients underwent CT imaging of the chest and abdomen as part of the initial evaluation. Thirty-one patients (74%) had a normal CT scan. Two patients of 11 with an abnormal CT scan required a change in management and were referred for observation in the Intensive Care Unit. None of the patients required surgical intervention. The routine use of CT in asymptomatic pediatric patients with a suspicious mechanism of blunt trauma injury is not justified. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. Early Chest Computed Tomography Scan to Assist Diagnosis and Guide Treatment Decision for Suspected Community-acquired Pneumonia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Claessens, Yann-Erick; Debray, Marie-Pierre; Tubach, Florence; Brun, Anne-Laure; Rammaert, Blandine; Hausfater, Pierre; Naccache, Jean-Marc; Ray, Patrick; Choquet, Christophe; Carette, Marie-France; Mayaud, Charles; Leport, Catherine; Duval, Xavier

    2015-10-15

    Clinical decision making relative to community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) diagnosis is difficult. Chest radiograph is key in establishing parenchymal lung involvement. However, radiologic performance may lead to misdiagnosis, rendering questionable the use of chest computed tomography (CT) scan in patients with clinically suspected CAP. To assess whether early multidetector chest CT scan affects diagnosis and management of patients visiting the emergency department with suspected CAP. A total of 319 prospectively enrolled patients with clinically suspected CAP underwent multidetector chest CT scan within 4 hours. CAP diagnosis probability (definite, probable, possible, or excluded) and therapeutic plans (antibiotic initiation/discontinuation, hospitalization/discharge) were established by emergency physicians before and after CT scan results. The adjudication committee established the final CAP classification on Day 28. Chest radiograph revealed a parenchymal infiltrate in 188 patients. CAP was initially classified as definite in 143 patients (44.8%), probable or possible in 172 (53.8%), and excluded in 4 (1.2%). CT scan revealed a parenchymal infiltrate in 40 (33%) of the patients without infiltrate on chest radiograph and excluded CAP in 56 (29.8%) of the 188 with parenchymal infiltrate on radiograph. CT scan modified classification in 187 (58.6%; 95% confidence interval, 53.2-64.0), leading to 50.8% definite CAP and 28.8% excluded CAP, and 80% of modifications were in accordance with adjudication committee classification. Because of CT scan, antibiotics were initiated in 51 (16%) and discontinued in 29 (9%), and hospitalization was decided in 22 and discharge in 23. In CAP-suspected patients visiting the emergency unit, early CT scan findings complementary to chest radiograph markedly affect both diagnosis and clinical management. Clinical trial registered with www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT 01574066).

  15. Multidetector CT of blunt traumatic venous injuries in the chest, abdomen, and pelvis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Holly, Brian P; Steenburg, Scott D

    2011-01-01

    Venous injuries as a result of blunt trauma are rare. Even though current protocols for multidetector computed tomography (CT) of patients with trauma are designed to evaluate primarily the solid organs and arteries, blunt venous injuries may nevertheless be identified, or at least suspected, on the basis of the multidetector CT findings. Venous injuries are associated with high morbidity and mortality rates. Diagnosis of a possible venous injury is crucial because the physical findings of a venous injury are nonspecific and may be absent. This article aims to make the radiologist aware of various venous injuries caused by blunt trauma and to provide helpful hints to aid in the identification of venous injuries. Multidetector CT technology, in combination with interactive manipulation of the raw dataset, can be useful in the creation of multiplanar reconstructed images and in the identification of a venous injury caused by blunt trauma. Familiarity with direct and indirect signs of venous injuries, as well as with examples of blunt traumatic venous injuries in the chest, abdomen, and pelvis, will help in the diagnosis of these injuries.

  16. Thoracic Trauma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dennis, Bradley M; Bellister, Seth A; Guillamondegui, Oscar D

    2017-10-01

    Management of chest trauma is integral to patient outcomes owing to the vital structures held within the thoracic cavity. Understanding traumatic chest injuries and appropriate management plays a pivotal role in the overall well-being of both blunt and penetrating trauma patients. Whether the injury includes rib fractures, associated pulmonary injuries, or tracheobronchial tree injuries, every facet of management may impact the short- and long-term outcomes, including mortality. This article elucidates the workup and management of the thoracic cage, pulmonary and tracheobronchial injuries. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. 74 Year-Old-Man With Pneumopericardium Due to Blunt Chest Trauma: Case Report

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alper Avcı

    2008-12-01

    Full Text Available Pneumopericardium is the presence of air in the pericardial space. It may be seen in the context with severe blunt chest trauma. Usually, pneumopericardium is self-limiting and requiring no specific therapy. However, a continuous monitoring of the electrocardiography and the blood pressure is necessary at an intermediate care unit. We report a 74 year-old-man had been presented with Pneumopericardium, after a car striking. He had bilateral pneumohematothoraces, pneumomediastinum and bilateral multiple rib fractures. Pneumopericardium was diasappeared without surgical management like written in english literature. Frequent cardiac and vital signs monitoring and general support treatment were successful in our treatment.

  18. Chest ultrasonography for the emergency diagnosis of traumatic pneumothorax and haemothorax: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Staub, Leonardo Jönck; Biscaro, Roberta Rodolfo Mazzali; Kaszubowski, Erikson; Maurici, Rosemeri

    2018-03-01

    To assess the accuracy of the chest ultrasonography for the emergency diagnosis of traumatic pneumothorax and haemothorax in adults. Systematic review and meta-analysis. PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, Web of Science and LILACS (up to 2016) were systematically searched for prospective studies on the diagnostic accuracy of ultrasonography for pneumothorax and haemothorax in adult trauma patients. The references of other systematic reviews and the included studies were checked for further articles. The characteristics and results of the studies were extracted using a standardised form, and their methodological quality was assessed using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies (QUADAS-2). Primary analysis was performed considering each hemithorax as an independent unit, while secondary analysis considered each patient. The global diagnostic accuracy of the chest ultrasonography was estimated using the Rutter-Gatsonis hierarchical summary ROC method. Moreover, Reitsma's bivariate model was used to estimate the sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio (LR + ) and negative likelihood ratio (LR-) of each sonographic sign. This review was previously registered (PROSPERO CRD42016048085). Nineteen studies were included in the review, 17 assessing pneumothorax and 5 assessing haemothorax. The reference standard was always chest tomography, alone or in parallel with chest radiography and observation of the chest tube. The overall methodological quality of the studies was low. The diagnostic accuracy of chest ultrasonography had an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.979 for pneumothorax (Fig). The absence of lung sliding and comet-tail artefacts was the most reported sonographic sign of pneumothorax, with a sensitivity of 0.81 (95% confidence interval [95%CI], 0.71-0.88), specificity of 0.98 (95%CI, 0.97-0.99), LR+ of 67.9 (95%CI, 26.3-148) and LR- of 0.18 (95%CI, 0.11-0.29). An echo-poor or anechoic area in the pleural space was the only sonographic sign for

  19. MDCT diagnosis of penetrating diaphragm injury

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bodanapally, Uttam K.; Shanmuganathan, Kathirkamanathan; Mirvis, Stuart E.; Sliker, Clint W.; Fleiter, Thorsten R.; Sarada, Kamal; Miller, Lisa A. [University of Maryland School of Medicine, Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Baltimore, MD (United States); Stein, Deborah M. [University of Maryland, Department of Surgery, Shock Trauma Center, Baltimore, MD (United States); Alexander, Melvin [National Study Center for Trauma and Emergency Medical Systems, Baltimore, MD (United States)

    2009-08-15

    The purpose of the study was to determine the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of multidetector CT (MDCT) in detection of diaphragmatic injury following penetrating trauma. Chest and abdominal CT examinations performed preoperatively in 136 patients after penetrating trauma to the torso with injury trajectory in close proximity to the diaphragm were reviewed by radiologists unaware of surgical findings. Signs associated with diaphragmatic injuries in penetrating trauma were noted. These signs were correlated with surgical diagnoses, and their sensitivity and specificity in assisting the diagnosis were calculated. CT confirmed diaphragmatic injury in 41 of 47 injuries (sensitivity, 87.2%), and an intact diaphragm in 71 of 98 patients (specificity, 72.4%). The overall accuracy of MDCT was 77%. The most accurate sign helping the diagnosis was contiguous injury on either side of the diaphragm in single-entry penetrating trauma (sensitivity, 88%; specificity, 82%). Thus MDCT has high sensitivity and good specificity in detecting penetrating diaphragmatic injuries. (orig.)

  20. MDCT diagnosis of penetrating diaphragm injury

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bodanapally, Uttam K.; Shanmuganathan, Kathirkamanathan; Mirvis, Stuart E.; Sliker, Clint W.; Fleiter, Thorsten R.; Sarada, Kamal; Miller, Lisa A.; Stein, Deborah M.; Alexander, Melvin

    2009-01-01

    The purpose of the study was to determine the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of multidetector CT (MDCT) in detection of diaphragmatic injury following penetrating trauma. Chest and abdominal CT examinations performed preoperatively in 136 patients after penetrating trauma to the torso with injury trajectory in close proximity to the diaphragm were reviewed by radiologists unaware of surgical findings. Signs associated with diaphragmatic injuries in penetrating trauma were noted. These signs were correlated with surgical diagnoses, and their sensitivity and specificity in assisting the diagnosis were calculated. CT confirmed diaphragmatic injury in 41 of 47 injuries (sensitivity, 87.2%), and an intact diaphragm in 71 of 98 patients (specificity, 72.4%). The overall accuracy of MDCT was 77%. The most accurate sign helping the diagnosis was contiguous injury on either side of the diaphragm in single-entry penetrating trauma (sensitivity, 88%; specificity, 82%). Thus MDCT has high sensitivity and good specificity in detecting penetrating diaphragmatic injuries. (orig.)

  1. Thin chest wall is an independent risk factor for the development of pneumothorax after chest tube removal.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anand, Rahul J; Whelan, James F; Ferrada, Paula; Duane, Therese M; Malhotra, Ajai K; Aboutanos, Michel B; Ivatury, Rao R

    2012-04-01

    The factors contributing to the development of pneumothorax after removal of chest tube thoracostomy are not fully understood. We hypothesized that development of post pull pneumothorax (PPP) after chest tube removal would be significantly lower in those patients with thicker chest walls, due to the "protective" layer of adipose tissue. All patients on our trauma service who underwent chest tube thoracostomy from July 2010 to February 2011 were retrospectively reviewed. Patient age, mechanism of trauma, and chest Abbreviated Injury Scale score were analyzed. Thoracic CTs were reviewed to ascertain chest wall thickness (CW). Thickness was measured at the level of the nipple at the midaxillary line, as perpendicular distance between skin and pleural cavity. Chest X-ray reports from immediately prior and after chest tube removal were reviewed for interval development of PPP. Data are presented as average ± standard deviation. Ninety-one chest tubes were inserted into 81 patients. Patients who died before chest tube removal (n = 11), or those without thoracic CT scans (n = 13) were excluded. PPP occurred in 29.9 per cent of chest tube removals (20/67). When PPP was encountered, repeat chest tube was necessary in 20 per cent of cases (4/20). After univariate analysis, younger age, penetrating mechanism, and thin chest wall were found to be significant risk factors for development of PPP. Chest Abbreviated Injury Scale score was similar in both groups. Logistic regression showed only chest wall thickness to be an independent risk factor for development of PPP.

  2. Clinical Utility of Chest Computed Tomography in Patients with Rib Fractures CT Chest and Rib Fractures

    OpenAIRE

    Chapman, Brandon C.; Overbey, Douglas M.; Tesfalidet, Feven; Schramm, Kristofer; Stovall, Robert T.; French, Andrew; Johnson, Jeffrey L.; Burlew, Clay C.; Barnett, Carlton; Moore, Ernest E.; Pieracci, Fredric M.

    2016-01-01

    Background Chest CT is more sensitive than a chest X-ray (CXR) in diagnosing rib fractures; however, the clinical significance of these fractures remains unclear. Objectives The purpose of this study was to determine the added diagnostic use of chest CT performed after CXR in patients with either known or suspected rib fractures secondary to blunt trauma. Methods Retrospective coho...

  3. Missed rib fractures on evaluation of initial chest CT for trauma patients: pattern analysis and diagnostic value of coronal multiplanar reconstruction images with multidetector row CT.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cho, S H; Sung, Y M; Kim, M S

    2012-10-01

    The objective of this study was to review the prevalence and radiological features of rib fractures missed on initial chest CT evaluation, and to examine the diagnostic value of additional coronal images in a large series of trauma patients. 130 patients who presented to an emergency room for blunt chest trauma underwent multidetector row CT of the thorax within the first hour during their stay, and had follow-up CT or bone scans as diagnostic gold standards. Images were evaluated on two separate occasions: once with axial images and once with both axial and coronal images. The detection rates of missed rib fractures were compared between readings using a non-parametric method of clustered data. In the cases of missed rib fractures, the shapes, locations and associated fractures were evaluated. 58 rib fractures were missed with axial images only and 52 were missed with both axial and coronal images (p=0.088). The most common shape of missed rib fractures was buckled (56.9%), and the anterior arc (55.2%) was most commonly involved. 21 (36.2%) missed rib fractures had combined fractures on the same ribs, and 38 (65.5%) were accompanied by fracture on neighbouring ribs. Missed rib fractures are not uncommon, and radiologists should be familiar with buckle fractures, which are frequently missed. Additional coronal imagescan be helpful in the diagnosis of rib fractures that are not seen on axial images.

  4. Diagnosis of vertebral fractures on lateral chest X-ray: Intraobserver agreement of semi-quantitative vertebral fracture assessment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jagt-Willems, H.C. van der; Munster, B.C. van; Leeflang, M.; Beuerle, E.; Tulner, C.R.; Lems, W.F.

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • (Lateral) chest X-ray's are often performed in older individuals for various reasons. • Vertebral fractures are visualized on lateral chest X-ray, but the diagnosis of vertebral fractures is until now only validated on (lateral) spine X-ray's. • This study shows that a (lateral) chest X-ray is sufficient for the diagnosis of vertebral fractures. • Older individuals with a vertebral fracture on a (lateral) chest X-ray do not need further radiography with thoracic spine X-ray or vertebral fracture assessment with DXA. - Abstract: Background: In clinical practice lateral images of the chest are performed for various reasons. As these lateral chest X rays show the vertebrae of the thoracic and thoraco-lumbar region, we wondered if these X-rays can be used for evaluation of vertebral fractures instead of separate thoracic spine X-rays. Methods: To evaluate the agreement and intraobserver reliability of the semi-quantitative method for vertebral fractures on the lateral chest X-ray (X-chest) in comparison to the lateral thoracic spine X-ray (X-Tspine), two observers scored vertebral fractures on X-Tspine and twice on X-chest, separately, blinded and in different time periods. Agreement and Cohens’ kappa were calculated for a diagnosis of any fracture on patient level and on vertebral body level. The study was done in patients visiting an outpatient geriatric day clinic, with a high prevalence of vertebral fractures. Results: 109 patients were included. The intraobserver agreement for X-chest versus X-Tspine was 95–98% for the two levels of fracturing, with a Cohen's kappa of 0.88–0.91. The intraobserver agreement and reliability of the re-test on the X-chest showed an agreement between 91 and 98% with a Cohen's kappa of 0.81–0.93. More vertebrae were visible on the X-chest, mean 10.2, SD 0.66 versus mean 9.8, SD 0.73 on the X-Tspine (p < 0.001). Conclusion: The results show good agreement and intraobserver reliability on

  5. Diagnosis of vertebral fractures on lateral chest X-ray: Intraobserver agreement of semi-quantitative vertebral fracture assessment

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jagt-Willems, H.C. van der, E-mail: Hvanderjagt@spaarneziekenhuis.nl [Department of Geriatrics, Slotervaart Hospital, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Department of Internal Medicine, Spaarne Hospital, Hoofddorp (Netherlands); Munster, B.C. van [Department of Internal Medicine, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Department of Geriatrics, Gelre Hospitals, Apeldoorn (Netherlands); Leeflang, M. [Department of Geriatrics, Gelre Hospitals, Apeldoorn (Netherlands); Beuerle, E. [Department of Radiology, Slotervaart Hospital, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Tulner, C.R. [Department of Geriatrics, Slotervaart Hospital, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Lems, W.F. [Department of Rheumatology, VU Medical Center, Amsterdam (Netherlands)

    2014-12-15

    Highlights: • (Lateral) chest X-ray's are often performed in older individuals for various reasons. • Vertebral fractures are visualized on lateral chest X-ray, but the diagnosis of vertebral fractures is until now only validated on (lateral) spine X-ray's. • This study shows that a (lateral) chest X-ray is sufficient for the diagnosis of vertebral fractures. • Older individuals with a vertebral fracture on a (lateral) chest X-ray do not need further radiography with thoracic spine X-ray or vertebral fracture assessment with DXA. - Abstract: Background: In clinical practice lateral images of the chest are performed for various reasons. As these lateral chest X rays show the vertebrae of the thoracic and thoraco-lumbar region, we wondered if these X-rays can be used for evaluation of vertebral fractures instead of separate thoracic spine X-rays. Methods: To evaluate the agreement and intraobserver reliability of the semi-quantitative method for vertebral fractures on the lateral chest X-ray (X-chest) in comparison to the lateral thoracic spine X-ray (X-Tspine), two observers scored vertebral fractures on X-Tspine and twice on X-chest, separately, blinded and in different time periods. Agreement and Cohens’ kappa were calculated for a diagnosis of any fracture on patient level and on vertebral body level. The study was done in patients visiting an outpatient geriatric day clinic, with a high prevalence of vertebral fractures. Results: 109 patients were included. The intraobserver agreement for X-chest versus X-Tspine was 95–98% for the two levels of fracturing, with a Cohen's kappa of 0.88–0.91. The intraobserver agreement and reliability of the re-test on the X-chest showed an agreement between 91 and 98% with a Cohen's kappa of 0.81–0.93. More vertebrae were visible on the X-chest, mean 10.2, SD 0.66 versus mean 9.8, SD 0.73 on the X-Tspine (p < 0.001). Conclusion: The results show good agreement and intraobserver reliability on

  6. The impact of a chest tube management protocol on the outcome of trauma patients with tube thoracostomy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Abreu, Emanuelle Maria Sávio; Machado, Carla Jorge; Pastore Neto, Mario; de Rezende Neto, João Baptista; Sanches, Marcelo Dias

    2015-01-01

    to investigate the effect of standardized interventions in the management of tube thoracostomy patients and to assess the independent effect of each intervention. A chest tube management protocol was assessed in a retrospective cohort study. The tube thoracostomy protocol (TTP) was implemented in August 2012, and consisted of: antimicrobial prophylaxis, chest tube insertion in the operating room (OR), admission post chest tube thoracostomy (CTT) in a hospital floor separate from the emergency department (ED), and daily respiratory therapy (RT) sessions post-CTT. The inclusion criteria were, hemodynamic stability, patients between the ages of 15 and 59 years, and injury severity score (ISS) chest wall, lung, and pleura. During the study period 92 patients were managed according to the standardized protocol. The outcomes of those patients were compared to 99 patients treated before the TTP. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the independent effect of each variable of the protocol on selected outcomes. Demographics, injury severity, and trauma mechanisms were similar among the groups. As expected, protocol compliance increased after the implementation of the TTP. There was a significant reduction (pchest tube days. Respiratory therapy was independently linked to significant reduction (pchest tube insertion was associated with significant (ptrauma patients.

  7. Blow/trauma to the chest and sudden cardiac death: Commotio cordis and contusio cordis are leading causes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krexi, Lydia; Sheppard, Mary N

    2018-01-01

    Background In forensic practice, a blow to the chest can lead to sudden cardiac death (SCD). Commotio cordis and contusio cordis are leading causes. Methods From a database of 4678 patients who suffered from SCD, we found three patients with commotio cordis and two patients with contusio cordis. All the patients were examined macroscopically and microscopically and had negative toxicology screen. Results The three patients who died due to commotio cordis were young males (16, 23 and 38 years old). The circumstances of death were: a blow to the chest by a football, by a friend during a party and during an assault. The hearts were completely normal at autopsy. The two patients who had contusio cordis were older males (42 and 63 years old). Both patients died during traffic accidents. At autopsy, one had significant contusion over the left ventricle, and the second had contusion over the right ventricle. Conclusion This study indicates that a blow to the chest is very important to document in the circumstances of death, and a detailed history is vital. It raises the left ventricular intra-cavitary pressure, leading to commotio cordis with immediate death with a normal heart. Blunt chest trauma can cause direct myocardial lesions, with acute changes leading to contusio cordis.

  8. High-resolution computed tomography versus chest radiography in the diagnosis of interstitial lung disease in systemic sclerosis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Azevedo, Ana Beatriz Cordeiro de; Calderaro, Debora; Moreira, Caio; Guimaraes, Silvana Mangeon Meirelles; Tavares Junior, Wilson Campos; Leao Filho, Hilton Muniz; Andrade, Diego Correa de; Ferreira, Cid Sergio; Vieira, Jose Nelson Mendes

    2005-01-01

    Objective: To compare the accuracy of high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) with chest radiography in the diagnosis of interstitial lung disease in systemic sclerosis (SSc). Materials And Methods: HRCT scans and chest radiographs in postero-anterior and lateral views were performed in 34 patients with systemic sclerosis, according to the American College of Rheumatology preliminary criteria for the diagnosis of SSc. The prevalence of radiological findings suggestive of interstitial lung disease in SSc seen on both imaging methods was compared. Results: Interstitial disease was observed on HRCT images of 31 patients (91%) and in the chest radiographs of 16 patients (47%). The most frequent findings observed on HRCT were septal lines (74%), honeycombing (56%) and parenchymal bands (26%). Chest radiographs showed reticular areas of attenuation in 11 patients (32%) and parenchymal distortion in 12% of the patients. In 18 patients (53%) with normal chest radiographs HRCT showed septal lines in 55%, ground glass in 44%, honeycombing in 38.5% and cysts in 33%. Conclusion: HRCT is more sensitive than chest radiography in the evaluation of incipient interstitial lung involvement in patients with SSc and can provide a justification for immunosuppressive therapy in patients with early disease. (author)

  9. Advanced Technologies in Trauma Critical Care Management

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-01-01

    largely replaced diagnostic peritoneal lavage for identifying intra-abdominal fluid in trauma patients. Furthermore, with the addition of chest windows...authors use chest ultrasound in the following manner: To identify a pneumothorax or hemothorax that needs to be drained acutely To differentiate...these situations, Technologies in the Trauma ICU 913 the authors first insert 2 or 3 chest tubes and position them as usual. A sterile nonad- herent

  10. Use of resting myocardial scintigraphy during chest pain to exclude diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Barbirato, Gustavo Borges; Azevedo, Jader Cunha de; Felix, Renata Christian Martins; Correa, Patricia Lavatori; Volschan, Andre; Viegas, Monica; Pimenta, Lucia; Dohmann, Hans Fernando Rocha; Mesquita, Evandro Tinoco; Mesquita, Claudio Tinoco

    2009-01-01

    Background: Images of myocardial perfusion taken during an episode of chest pain have been used for patients in the emergency department. Objective: To evaluate the operating characteristics of 99m Tc-Tetrofosmin scintigraphy during an episode of chest pain to exclude the diagnosis of cute myocardial infarction. Methods: One hundred and eight patients admitted with chest pain, or up to four hours after the end of symptoms and non diagnostic electrocardiogram, underwent resting scintigraphy and measurement of troponin I concentrations. Patients with a history of myocardial infarction (MI) were not excluded (24 patients). Troponin I concentrations were determined at admission and 6 hours later. Nuclear physicians performed a blind analysis of the images, and myocardial infarction was confirmed whenever troponin I level increase was three times that of the control. Results: Resting perfusion image was abnormal in all 6 patients with MI. Only 1 patient had a normal image and increased troponin levels. Fifty-five patients had positive images without MI, and 46 patients had normal images and troponin levels. The prevalence of the disease was 6.5%. The sensitivity and specificity of the resting images during an episode of chest pain to diagnose MI was 85.7% and 45.5%, respectively. The negative predictive value was 97.7%. Conclusion: Patients undergoing chest pain protocol with SPECT showed an excellent negative predictive value to exclude diagnosis of myocardial infarction. These results suggest that resting perfusion image is an important tool at the chest pain unit. (author)

  11. Scanning in the diagnosis of hepatic and splenic trauma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fitzer, P.M.

    1976-01-01

    The diagnosis of hepatic and splenic injuries in the trauma patient with classic physical and plain film findings usually presents little problem. If bleeding is severe there is no time for extensive roentgenographic or laboratory studies. Often, however, the trauma is mild, and the physical findings quite minimal at best. Other injuries may divert attention. The patient may be unconscious. In such circumstances, clinical evaluation of possible hepatic or splenic injuries is difficult. Scanning of the liver and spleen is a safe, accurate, noninvasive, readily available technique for the detection of traumatic rupture, laceration, or hematoma. This report describes two cases in which scanning proved helpful in the management of blunt abdominal trauma

  12. eFAST for Pneumothorax: Real-Life Application in an Urban Level 1 Center by Trauma Team Members.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maximus, Steven; Figueroa, Cesar; Whealon, Matthew; Pham, Jacqueline; Kuncir, Eric; Barrios, Cristobal

    2018-02-01

    The focused assessment with sonography for trauma (FAST) examination has become the standard of care for rapid evaluation of trauma patients. Extended FAST (eFAST) is the use of ultrasonography for the detection of pneumothorax (PTX). The exact sensitivity and specificity of eFAST detecting traumatic PTX during practical "real-life" application is yet to be investigated. This is a retrospective review of all trauma patients with a diagnosis of PTX, who were treated at a large level 1 urban trauma center from March 2013 through July 2014. Charts were reviewed for results of imaging, which included eFAST, chest X-ray, and CT scan. The requirement of tube thoracostomy and mechanism of injury were also analyzed. A total of 369 patients with a diagnosis of PTX were identified. A total of 69 patients were excluded, as eFAST was either not performed or not documented, leaving 300 patients identified with PTX. A total of 113 patients had clinically significant PTX (37.6%), requiring immediate tube thoracostomy placement. eFAST yielded a positive diagnosis of PTX in 19 patients (16.8%), and all were clinically significant, requiring tube thoracostomy. Chest X-ray detected clinically significant PTX in 105 patients (92.9%). The literature on the utility of eFAST for PTX in trauma is variable. Our data show that although specific for clinically significant traumatic PTX, it has poor sensitivity when performed by clinicians with variable levels of ultrasound training. We conclude that CT is still the gold standard in detecting PTX, and clinicians performing eFAST should have adequate training.

  13. Surgical treatment of chest instability

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kitka, M.; Masek, M.

    2015-01-01

    Fractures of the ribs is the most common thoracic injury after blunt trauma. Chest wall instability (flail chest) is a common occurrence in the presence of multiple ribs fracture. Unilateral or bilateral fractures more ribs anteriorly or posteriorly will produce enough instability that paradoxical respiratory motion results in hypoventilation of an unacceptable degree. Open approach and surgical stabilisation of the chest preserved pulmonary function, improved pain control, minimized posttraumatic deformities and shorter back to work time. (author)

  14. Utility of CT scan for the diagnosis of chest wall tuberculosis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Khalil, A.; Le Breton, C.; Tassart, M.; Korzec, J.; Bigot, J.M.; Carette, M.F. [Department of Radiology, Tenon Hospital, Paris (France)

    1999-10-01

    The objective of this study was to determine the utility of CT scan findings for the diagnosis of chest wall tuberculosis, excluding the spine. We reviewed 15 patients (13 Africans and 2 Indians) with chest wall tuberculosis, retrospectively. The radiologic examination consisted of a plain X-ray and a CT scan of the chest for each patient. The site of disease was the rib in 13 patients or the body of the sternum in 2 patients. One rib was involved in 11 patients, 2 contiguous ribs (one site) in 2 patients, and bilateral disease (two sites) was observed in the remaining patient. The 14 rib sites involved the posterior arc or costovertebral joint in 11 cases, the anterior arc in 2 cases, and the anterior and middle arc in 1 case. The CT scan findings were an abscess (n = 14) or a soft tissue mass (n = 2), osteolytic lesions (n = 13), periosteal reaction (n = 10), and sequestrum (n = 14). Bone sclerosis was observed only in 3 cases of rib involvement. The association of a soft tissue abscess, an osteolytic lesion, and sequestrum, especially in immigrants to France, suggests chest wall tuberculosis on CT scan. (orig.) With 5 figs., 2 tabs., 11 refs.

  15. Rupture of the right upper pulmonary vein and left atrium caused by blunt chest trauma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Osaka, Motoo; Nagai, Ryo; Koishizawa, Tadashi

    2017-11-01

    A 49-year-old man was transferred to our hospital by ambulance due to blunt chest trauma sustained in a car accident. Echocardiography and enhanced computed tomography showed hemopericardium without other vital organ damage. Emergent surgery was performed under strong suspicion of traumatic cardiac rupture. Careful inspection showed a rupture of the right upper pulmonary vein at the junction of the left atrium, a laceration of the inferior vena cava, and a left-side pericardium rupture, and they were repaired with running 4-0 polypropylene suture. Postoperative hemodynamics were stable. The patient was discharged ambulatory on postoperative day 15.

  16. Giant Chest Wall Hematoma Mimicking Elastofibroma Dorsi: A Case Report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Yeon Soo; Park, Kuhn; Kim, Jong Ok; Choi, Eun Seok; Kang, Si Won

    2011-01-01

    Hematoma on the thoracic wall is very rare. We describe here a 63-year-old man with a huge chest wall hematoma and the man had no history of trauma. The patient was found to have a large mass located subjacent to the inferior angle of the right scapula area and the CT and MRI findings were similar to those of an elastofibroma dorsi. We describe the CT and MRI findings of this hematoma and how to make the differential diagnosis from elastofibroma dorsi

  17. Giant Chest Wall Hematoma Mimicking Elastofibroma Dorsi: A Case Report

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lee, Yeon Soo; Park, Kuhn; Kim, Jong Ok; Choi, Eun Seok; Kang, Si Won [Daejeon St. Mary' s Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

    2011-02-15

    Hematoma on the thoracic wall is very rare. We describe here a 63-year-old man with a huge chest wall hematoma and the man had no history of trauma. The patient was found to have a large mass located subjacent to the inferior angle of the right scapula area and the CT and MRI findings were similar to those of an elastofibroma dorsi. We describe the CT and MRI findings of this hematoma and how to make the differential diagnosis from elastofibroma dorsi

  18. [Optimization of digital chest radiography image post-processing in diagnosis of pneumoconiosis].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sheng, Bing-yong; Mao, Ling; Zhou, Shao-wei; Shi, Jin

    2013-11-01

    To establish the optimal image post-processing parameters for digital chest radiography as preliminary research for introducing digital radiography (DR) to pneumoconiosis diagnosis in China. A total of 204 pneumoconiosis patients and 31 dust-exposed workers were enrolled as the subjects in this research. Film-screen radiography (FSR) and DR images were taken for all subjects. DR films were printed after raw images were processed and parameters were altered using DR workstation (GE Healthcare, U.S.A.). Image gradations, lung textures, and the imaging of thoracic vertebra were evaluated by pneumoconiosis experts, and the optimal post-processing parameters were selected. Optical density was measured for both DR films and FSR films. For the DR machine used in this research, the contrast adjustment (CA) and brightness adjustment (BA) were the main parameters that determine the brightness and gray levels of images. The optimal ranges for CA and BA were 115%∼120% and 160%∼165%, respectively. The quality of DR chest films would be optimized when tissue contrast was adjusted to a maximum of 0.15, edge to a minimum of 1, and both noise reduction and tissue equalization to0.The failure rate of chest DR (0.4%) was significantly lower than that of chest FSR (17%) (P image post-processing on DR machine purchased from GE Healthcare, the DR chest films can meet all requirements for the quality of chest X-ray films in the Chinese diagnostic criteria for pneumoconiosis.

  19. Chest X-ray quality in the diagnosis of pneumonia in children: from prescription to optimization

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Estevan, M.; Cotelo, E.; Hortal, M.; Iraola, I.

    2008-01-01

    Acute lower respiratory tract infection (ALRI), primarily pneumonia, is the leading cause of childhood death in developing countries. The increasing incidence of antimicrobial resistance and the high cost of vaccines lead to considering the first strategy to reduce pneumonia deaths the early detection of the disease. Case management begins with the clinical examination and may continue with the prescription of a chest x-ray. Consequently, the radiograph should meet quality standards, and radiologists and paediatricians must know how to interpret the images. Special attention should be paid on patient dose due to children radiosensitivity, high frequency and chest x rays rejection rate. This paper is a retrospective study of chest radiographs performed in 5731 children with clinical diagnosis of ALRI assisted in three Uruguayan hospitals during the three year investigation supported by the Division of Vaccines and Immunization of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) that had the aim of estimating the burden of pneumonia (from 2001 to 2004). It is analyzed the prescription of radiographs during the diagnosis and in later controls (2220 children assisted in two of the three hospitals). Patient doses are estimated from technical parameters and equipment specifications. The investigation also analyzes patient doses that could have been avoided if paediatricians had managed the disease according to the established protocols. Results show that 82.4 % of chest X-rays diagnosed pneumonia and that some children underwent up to ten radiographs. Significant differences were found in patient dose in the three hospitals, concluding that education on image quality on chest radiographs of radiologists, paediatricians and radiological technologists is the first and best tool for the earlier diagnosis of pneumonia in children and for the application of Radiation Protection (RP) principles in medical exposures. (author)

  20. Blunt thoracic trauma - an analysis of 264 patients in Rawalpindi, Pakistan

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Subhani, S.S.; Muzaffar, M.S.

    2014-01-01

    Objective: To analyse the outcome in terms of morbidity and mortality in blunt thoracic trauma patients in tertiary care hospitals, Rawalpindi. Methods: The prospective study was conducted from March 2008 to February 2012 in surgical wards of public and private sector hospitals in Rawalpindi. A total of 221 patients were included from the Combined Military Hospital during 2008-10, and 43 patients from the Heart's International during 2011-12. The patients reported to emergency department within 48 hours of trauma. All patients were subjected to detailed history and respiratory system examination to ascertain fracture of ribs, flail segment and haemopneumothorax. The diagnosis of chest wall injuries, parenchymal pulmonary injuries and pleural involvement were made on the basis of chest radiographs and computed tomography scan of the chest. The lung contusion was assessed by the number of lobes involved. SPSS 19 was used for statistical analysis. Results: Of the 264 patients in the study, 211 (80%) were males and 54 (20%) females. The overall mean age was 44.8+-17.1 years. Over all morbidity was 222 (84.2%); morbidity (minor) was 128 (48.5%), and morbidity (major) was 94 (35.7%). Mortality was 26 (9.8%) and 16 (6%) cases had normal outcome. Conclusion: Early identification and aggressive management of blunt thoracic trauma is essential to reducing significant rates of morbidity and mortality. (author)

  1. Bilateral Chylothorax Due to Blunt Trauma Without Radiographic Evidence of Traumatic Injury

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohamed Mohamed

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Chylothorax represents an uncommon clinical entity with multiple etiologies. Chylothorax following blunt thoracic trauma is typically associated with posterior rib fractures or thoracic vertebral fractures or dislocations. The occurrence of a traumatic chylothorax in the absence of associated injuries is a rare event. We report a case of a 51-year-old patient who developed bilateral chylothorax after sustaining blunt trauma without radiographic evidence of traumatic injury. A 51-year-old male presented to the emergency department complaining of progressively worsening shortness of breath and associated chest pain for the prior one week following a fall down several concrete steps. On evaluation, the patient was found to have bilateral pleural effusions with no radiographic evidence of traumatic injury, including posterior rib or thoracic vertebral fractures. Subsequent thoracentesis and pleural fluid analysis were performed confirming the diagnosis of chylothorax. Management included repeated thoracentesis, diet modification and octreotide administration, which resulted in dramatic improvement and eventual resolution of symptoms. Non-iatrogenic traumatic bilateral chylothorax in the absence of other radiographically demonstrated bony or soft tissue injury is a rare event. Chylothorax should be considered in the differential diagnosis of patients presenting with chest pain or shortness of breath following blunt trauma and evidence of pleural effusion, even in the absence of obvious traumatic fracture or injury on radiographic imaging.

  2. Diagnosis and treatment of musculoskeletal chest pain: design of a multi-purpose trial

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Stochkendahl, Mette J; Christensen, Henrik W; Vach, Werner

    2008-01-01

    manipulation of the cervical and thoracic spine, mobilisation, and soft tissue techniques. b) Advice promoting self-management and individual instructions focusing on posture and muscle stretch (advice group). Outcome measures are pain, physical function, overall health, self-perceived treatment effect......BACKGROUND: Acute chest pain is a major health problem all over the western world. Active approaches are directed towards diagnosis and treatment of potentially life threatening conditions, especially acute coronary syndrome/ischemic heart disease. However, according to the literature, chest pain...... may also be due to a variety of extra-cardiac disorders including dysfunction of muscles and joints of the chest wall or the cervical and thoracic part of the spine. The diagnostic approaches and treatment options for this group of patients are scarce and formal clinical studies addressing the effect...

  3. Cranium-brain trauma in computed tomographs - diagnosis and clinical correlation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wrasse, K.

    1982-01-01

    For the successful treatment of intracranial complications in the case of cranium-brain trauma a quick and exact diagnosis is necessary. The goal of this work was to test and evaluate the effectivity of computed tomography for neurotraumatology. Using 565 patients, who were acutely or at one time suffering from a cranium-brain trauma, the high validity of computed tomography for these injuries was proven. The following areas in question were studied with respect to the value of computed tomography in comparison to them: angiography, X-ray diagnostic, echoencephalography, brain scintigraphy, electroencephalography and neurological-psychopathological findings from cranium-brain trauma. Statement possibilities and difficulties of computed tomography are discussed in the cases of the following neurotraumatological diseases: extracranial hematomas; acute cranium-brain traumas; traumatic arachnoidal bleeding; diffuse brain edema; transtentorial herniation and brain contusions. At the end the diagnostic and therapeutic procedures in the case of cranium-brain trauma are presented. (orig.) [de

  4. Complications in the management of bladder trauma in a third level hospital.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Echeverría-García, Fernando Enrique; García-Perdomo, Herney Andrés; Barney, Erika

    2014-05-01

    To determine the frecuency of complications during the management of bladder trauma and its associated factors in a third level reference Hospital. A cross-sectional study of adult patients admitted in a reference Hospital from January 2006 to June 2011 with the diagnosis of bladder trauma. We identified demographic variables, type of trauma (blunt, penetrating), diagnostic method, associated traumatisms, management of bladder traumatism, frequency of complications and mortality. Univariate analysis was performed with frequency tables, measures of central tendency and dispersion. Similarly, bivariate analysis was performed to explore the association between variables. We used chi-square test for categorical variables and Student's t test to compare quantitative variables. We reviewed 40 medical records, which met the eligibility criteria. The median age was 27 years (range 16-;67) and 85% (34 patients) were male. Twenty-nine patients (72.5%) had penetrating injuries, being mainly firearm projectile (96.55%) and 11 patients (27.5%) blunt injuries. Most patients had intraoperative diagnosis (67.5%), while 25%, 5% and 2% were diagnosed by CT-cystography, cystoscopy and voiding cystography respectively. 70% (28 patients) had intraperitoneal bladder injuries. Of the forty patients enrolled, thirty six (90%) underwent surgery, while only four (10%) received conservative management. A total of ten patients (25%) had some type of complication. The most frequent was persistent hematuria (40%) followed by surgical site infection (30%), orchitis (20%), urinary tract infection (10%), urine leakage through the operative site, or to the peritoneal cavity (10%). No mortality was detected. On the bivariate logistic regression model type of trauma, number of injuries, performance of cystostomy, use of perivesical drainage tube, chest trauma and small bowel trauma, no association was found with the presence of complications. The frequency of complications was 25%. The presence of

  5. The role of repairing lung lacerations during video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery evacuations for retained haemothorax caused by blunt chest trauma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chou, Yi-Pin; Kuo, Liang-Chi; Soo, Kwan-Ming; Tarng, Yih-Wen; Chiang, Hsin-I; Huang, Fong-Dee; Lin, Hsing-Lin

    2014-07-01

    Retained haemothorax and pneumothorax are the most common complications after blunt chest traumas. Lung lacerations derived from fractures of the ribs are usually found in these patients. Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) is usually used as a routine procedure in the treatment of retained pleural collections. The objective of this study was to find out if there is any advantage in adding the procedure for repairing lacerated lungs during VATS. Patients who were brought to our hospital with blunt chest trauma were enrolled into this prospective cohort study from January 2004 to December 2011. All enrolled patients had rib fractures with type III lung lacerations diagnosed by CT scans. They sustained retained pleural collections and surgical drainage was indicated. On one group, only evacuation procedure by VATS was performed. On the other group, not only evacuations but also repair of lung injuries were performed. Patients with penetrating injury or blunt injury with massive bleeding, that required emergency thoracotomy, were excluded from the study, in addition to those with cardiovascular or oesophageal injuries. During the study period, 88 patients who underwent thoracoscopy were enrolled. Among them, 43 patients undergoing the simple thoracoscopic evacuation method were stratified into Group 1. The remaining 45 patients who underwent thoracoscopic evacuation combined with resection of lung lacerations were stratified into Group 2. The rates of post-traumatic infection were higher in Group 1. The durations of chest-tube drainage and ventilator usage were shorter in Group 2, as were the lengths of patient intensive care unit stay and hospital stay. When compared with simple thoracoscopic evacuation methods, repair and resection of the injured lungs combined may result in better clinical outcomes in patients who sustained blunt chest injuries. © The Author 2013. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Association for Cardio

  6. Chest radiology

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Reed, J.C.

    1990-01-01

    This book is a reference in plain chest film diagnosis provides a thorough background in the differential diagnosis of 22 of the most common radiologic patterns of chest disease. Each chapter is introduced with problem cases and a set of questions, followed by a tabular listing of the appropriate differential considerations. The book emphasizes plain films, CT and some MR scans are integrated to demonstrate how these modalities enhance the work of a case

  7. Chest x-ray as a screening tool for blunt thoracic trauma in children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yanchar, Natalie L; Woo, Kenneth; Brennan, Maureen; Palmer, Cameron S; Zs Ee, Michael; Sweeney, Brian; Crameri, Joe

    2013-10-01

    With the increasing use of thoracic computed tomography (CT) to screen for injuries in pediatric blunt thoracic trauma (BTT), we determined whether chest x-ray (CXR) and other clinical and epidemiologic variables could be used to predict significant thoracic injuries, to inform the selective use of CT in pediatric BTT. We further queried if these were discrepant from factors associated with the decision to obtain a thoracic CT. This retrospective cohort study included cases of BTT from three Level I pediatric trauma centers between April 1999 and March 2008. Pre-CT epidemiologic, clinical, and radiologic variables associated with CT findings of any thoracic injury or a significant thoracic injury as well as the decision to obtain a thoracic CT were determined using logistic regression. Of 425 patients, 40% patients had a significant thoracic injury, 49% had nonsignificant thoracic injury, and 11% had no thoracic injury at all. Presence of hydrothorax and/or pneumothorax on CXR significantly increased the likelihood of significant chest injury visualized by CT (adjusted odds ratio 10.8; 95% confidence interval, 6.5-18), as did the presence of isolated subcutaneous emphysema (adjusted odds ratio, 19.8; 95% confidence interval, 2.3-168). Although a normal CXR finding was not statistically associated with a reduced risk of significant thoracic injury, 8 of the 9 cases with normal CXR findings and significant injuries involved occult pneumothoraces or hemothoraces not requiring intervention. Converse to features suggesting increased risk of significant injury, the decision to obtain a thoracic CT was only associated with later period in the study and obtaining a CT scan of another body region. CXR can be used to screen for significant thoracic injuries and direct the selective use of thoracic CT in pediatric BTT. Prospective studies are needed to validate these findings and develop guidelines that include CXR to define indications for thoracic CT in pediatric BTT

  8. What is optimal timing for trauma team alerts? A retrospective observational study of alert timing effects on the initial management of trauma patients

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    Lillebo B

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available Borge Lillebo,1 Andreas Seim,2 Ole-Petter Vinjevoll,3 Oddvar Uleberg31Norwegian EHR Research Centre, Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway; 2Department of Computer and Information Science, Faculty of Information Technology, Mathematics and Electrical Engineering, NTNU, Trondheim, Norway; 3Department of Anaesthesia and Emergency Medicine, St Olav's University Hospital, Trondheim, NorwayBackground: Trauma teams improve the initial management of trauma patients. Optimal timing of trauma alerts could improve team preparedness and performance while also limiting adverse ripple effects throughout the hospital. The purpose of this study was to evaluate how timing of trauma team activation and notification affects initial in-hospital management of trauma patients.Methods: Data from a single hospital trauma care quality registry were matched with data from a trauma team alert log. The time from patient arrival to chest X-ray, and the emergency department length of stay were compared with the timing of trauma team activations and whether or not trauma team members received a preactivation notification.Results: In 2009, the trauma team was activated 352 times; 269 times met the inclusion criteria. There were statistically significant differences in time to chest X-ray for differently timed trauma team activations (P = 0.003. Median time to chest X-ray for teams activated 15–20 minutes prearrival was 5 minutes, and 8 minutes for teams activated <5 minutes before patient arrival. Timing had no effect on length of stay in the emergency department (P = 0.694. We found no effect of preactivation notification on time to chest X-ray (P = 0.474 or length of stay (P = 0.684.Conclusion: Proactive trauma team activation improved the initial management of trauma patients. Trauma teams should be activated prior to patient arrival.Keywords: emergency medical service communication systems

  9. Occult pneumothorax in trauma patients: should this be sought in the focused assessment with sonography for trauma examination?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tam, Michael M K

    2005-01-01

    At present, CT scan is the gold standard for detecting occult traumatic pneumothorax not apparent on supine chest X-ray radiograph. Recently there were suggestions to expand focused assessment with sonography for trauma (FAST) to include thoracic ultrasound for detecting pneumothorax. The aim of the present study is to determine the incidence of occult pneumothorax (as shown by CT) in the subgroup of trauma patients undergoing FAST. Review of all trauma patients with FAST done from 1 June 2001 to 31 October 2002. Incidence of occult pneumothorax as diagnosed by CT was determined. Patients were not counted as having true occult pneumothorax if they had chest drains inserted before arrival or imaging studies. Selected clinical findings were tested for association with occult pneumothorax. In total, 143 patients underwent FAST, of whom 137 (95.8%) had chest X-ray examination performed. Of the 137 patients 59 required CT abdomen and/or thorax. Occult pneumothorax was found in three patients (2.1%). A history of thorax and/or abdominal injury plus one or more of: (i) mechanisms potentially causing major trauma; (ii) abnormal chest examination; and (iii) chest X-ray radiograph abnormality in the absence of pneumothorax, was significantly associated with the presence of occult pneumothorax (P = 0.03, Fisher's exact test; sensitivity: 100%; specificity: 71%; likelihood ratio: 3.42). The incidence of occult pneumothorax in the subgroup of trauma patients undergoing FAST is low. It implies that routine screening for its presence by adding thoracic ultrasound to FAST is unnecessary. Identifying those at risk of occult pneumothorax for further investigation appeared feasible.

  10. CT quantification of pleuropulmonary lesions in severe thoracic trauma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kunisch-Hoppe, M.; Bachmann, G.; Weimar, B.; Bauer, T.; Rau, W.S.; Hoppe, M.; Zickmann, B.

    1997-01-01

    Purpose: Computed quantification of the extent of pleuropulmonary trauma by CT and comparison with conventional chest X-ray - Impact on therapy and correlation with mechanical ventilation support and clinical outcome. Method: In a prospective trial, 50 patients with clinically suspicious blunt chest trauma were evaluated using CT and conventional chest X-ray. The computed quantification of ventilated lung provided by CT volumetry was correlated with the consecutive artificial respiration parameters and the clinical outcome. Results: We found a high correlation between CT volumetry and artificial ventilation concerning maximal pressures and inspiratory oxygen concentration (FiO 2 , Goris-Score) (r=0.89, Pearson). The graduation of thoracic trauma correlated highly with the duration of mechanical ventilation (r=0.98, Pearson). Especially with regard to atelectases and lung contusions CT is superior compared to conventional chest X-ray; only 32% and 43%, respectively, were identified by conventional chest X-ray. (orig./AJ) [de

  11. Missed injuries in the era of the trauma scan.

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    Lawson, Christy M; Daley, Brian J; Ormsby, Christine B; Enderson, Blaine

    2011-02-01

    A rapid computed tomography technique or "trauma scan" (TS) provides high-resolution studies of the head, cervical spine, chest, abdomen, and pelvis. We sought to determine whether TS has decreased missed injuries. A previous study of TS found a 3% missed rate. After institutional review board approval, trauma patients from January 2001 through December 2008 were reviewed for delayed diagnosis (DD) of injury to the head, cervical spine, chest, abdomen, or pelvis. Missed extremity injuries were excluded. Injury Severity Score, length of stay, type of injury, outcomes, and days to detection were captured. Of 26,264 patients reviewed, 90 patients had DD, with an incidence of 0.34%. DD most commonly presented on day 2. Injuries included 16 bowel/mesentery, 12 spine, 11 pelvic, 8 spleen, 6 diaphragm, 5 clavicle, 4 scapula, 4 cervical spine, 4 intracranial, 4 sternum, 3 maxillofacial, 3 liver, 2 heart/aorta, 2 vascular, 2 urethra/bladder, 2 pneumothorax, and 2 pancreas/common bile duct. DD resulted in 1 death, 6 prolonged intensive care unit stays, 19 operative interventions, and 38 additional interventions. TS is an effective way of evaluating trauma patients for intracranial, cervical spine, chest, abdomen, and pelvic injuries that have the potential to impact morbidity and mortality. The incidence of injuries missed in these crucial areas has been reduced at our institution by the use of this radiographic modality. The most common missed injury remains bowel, and so a high index of suspicion and the tertiary survey must remain a mainstay of therapy.

  12. Pathophysiological effects and changes in potassium, ionised calcium, glucose and haemoglobin early after severe blunt chest trauma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rocksén, David; Gryth, Dan; Druid, Henrik; Gustavsson, Jenny; Arborelius, Ulf P

    2012-05-01

    Severe lung contusion is often observed after blunt chest trauma due to traffic accidents or fall from heights, but may also occur after a non-penetrating ballistic impact against body armour. Such trauma has been designated behind armour blunt trauma (BABT). Our aim in the present study has been to evaluate pathophysiological changes and compensatory mechanisms that occur early after such severe lung contusion. Twelve pigs wearing body armour were shot with a 7.62mm assault rifle to produce a standardised pulmonary contusion. Exposed animals were compared with five control animals shot with blank ammunition. Physiological parameters and levels of potassium, glucose, haemoglobin, calcium, lactate and pH were monitored for two hours after the shot. The impact induced severe pulmonary contusion with apnoea, desaturation and hypotension in all exposed animals. Increased haemoglobin, glucose and severe hyperkalaemia were seen shortly after impact. Seven of twelve animals died due to the trauma. Dense cardiac tissue was observed during post mortem examination in six of the animals that died during the experimental course. In conclusion, this study has shown that life-threatening hyperkalaemia occurs early after severe lung contusion. Moreover, dense cardiac tissue and early increase of haemoglobin and glucose are intriguing findings that should be investigated in future studies. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Findings chest radiograph and CT in mediastinitis: effcacy of CT in patients with delayed diagnosis

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    Son, Eun Ju; Hong, Yong Kook; Choe, Kyu Ok [Yonsei Univ. College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

    1999-01-01

    To analyse the causes the radiologic findings in patients with mediastinitis and to evaluate the efficacy of chest CT scanning in patients with delayed diagnosis. Seventeen patients with histopathologically(n=15) or clinically diagnosed(n=2) mediastinitis were involved in this study. Eleven of the former group underwent surgery, and in four, tube drainage was performed. All underwent chest radiography and CT scanning, and in seven patients, the causes of delayed diagnosis were analysed. The most common cause of mediastinitis was esophageal rupture(n=11). Others were extension from neck abscess to the mediastinum(n=3), complications after a Benthall procedure(n=1), tuberculous lymphadenitis(n=1) and mycotic aneurysm(n=1). Patients with esophageal rupture suffered from underlying diseases such as esophageal cancer(n=2), iatrogenic esophageal rupture(n=2), Boerhaave's syndrome(n=2), and esophagitis(n=1). In patients with neck abscess (n=3), each was secondary to infected cystic hygroma, Ludwig angina, or deep neck infection, respectively. On chest CT, patients with esophageal rupture(n=11) had an abscess in the posterior mediastinum ; nine abscesses extended to the cervical area along the retropharyngeal space, and the patient with Ludwig angina had an abscess involving all compartments of the mediastinum. Among the total of 17 patients, diagnostic delays were found in seven, while five had spontaneous esophageal ruptures and two suffered complications after a Benthall procedure and Tbc lymphadenitis, respectively. The causes of diagnostic delay varied. Among seven patients, pnevmonia was initially diagnosed in two, who were treated ; one had multiorgan failure, and one was suffering from pericardial effusion and lung abscess. In three other patients, chest radiographs initially showed non-specific findings, leading to delayed CT examination. The most common cause of mediastinitis was esophageal rupture, and in these patients, chest radiographs and clinical

  14. Findings chest radiograph and CT in mediastinitis: effcacy of CT in patients with delayed diagnosis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Son, Eun Ju; Hong, Yong Kook; Choe, Kyu Ok

    1999-01-01

    To analyse the causes the radiologic findings in patients with mediastinitis and to evaluate the efficacy of chest CT scanning in patients with delayed diagnosis. Seventeen patients with histopathologically(n=15) or clinically diagnosed(n=2) mediastinitis were involved in this study. Eleven of the former group underwent surgery, and in four, tube drainage was performed. All underwent chest radiography and CT scanning, and in seven patients, the causes of delayed diagnosis were analysed. The most common cause of mediastinitis was esophageal rupture(n=11). Others were extension from neck abscess to the mediastinum(n=3), complications after a Benthall procedure(n=1), tuberculous lymphadenitis(n=1) and mycotic aneurysm(n=1). Patients with esophageal rupture suffered from underlying diseases such as esophageal cancer(n=2), iatrogenic esophageal rupture(n=2), Boerhaave's syndrome(n=2), and esophagitis(n=1). In patients with neck abscess (n=3), each was secondary to infected cystic hygroma, Ludwig angina, or deep neck infection, respectively. On chest CT, patients with esophageal rupture(n=11) had an abscess in the posterior mediastinum ; nine abscesses extended to the cervical area along the retropharyngeal space, and the patient with Ludwig angina had an abscess involving all compartments of the mediastinum. Among the total of 17 patients, diagnostic delays were found in seven, while five had spontaneous esophageal ruptures and two suffered complications after a Benthall procedure and Tbc lymphadenitis, respectively. The causes of diagnostic delay varied. Among seven patients, pnevmonia was initially diagnosed in two, who were treated ; one had multiorgan failure, and one was suffering from pericardial effusion and lung abscess. In three other patients, chest radiographs initially showed non-specific findings, leading to delayed CT examination. The most common cause of mediastinitis was esophageal rupture, and in these patients, chest radiographs and clinical symptoms

  15. [Chest Injury and its Surgical Treatment in Polytrauma Patients. Five-Year Experience].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vodička, J; Doležal, J; Vejvodová, Š; Šafránek, J; Špidlen, V; Třeška, V

    2016-01-01

    PURPOSE OF THE STUDY Thoracic trauma, one of the most frequent injuries in patients with multiple traumata, is found in 50 to 80% of these patients and it is crucial for the patient's prognosis. It accounts for 25% of all death from polytraumatic injuries. The aim of this retrospective study was an analysis of the occurrence of chest injuries in polytrauma patients and their surgical treatment in the Trauma Centre or Department of Surgery of the University Hospital Pilsen in a five-year period. MATERIAL AND METHODS Patients with injuries meeting the definition of polytrauma and an Injury Severity Score (ISS) ≥16 were included. The demographic characteristics, mechanism of multiple trauma, ISS value and chest injury were recorded in each patient. The number of injured patients in each year of the study was noted. In the patients with chest injury, the type of injury and method of treatment were assessed. The therapy was further analysed including its timing. The number of deaths due to polytrauma involving chest injury, the cause of death and its time in relation to the patient's admission to the Trauma Centre were evaluated. RESULTS In the period 2010-14, 513 polytrauma patients were treated; of them 371 (72.3%) were men with an average age of 40.5 years. The most frequent cause of injury was a traffic accident (74%). The average ISS of the whole group was 35 points. Chest injury was diagnosed in 469 patients (91.4%) of whom only five (1.1%) had penetrating injury. Pulmonary contusion was most frequent (314 patients; 67%). A total of 212 patients with chest injury underwent surgery (45.2%); urgent surgery was performed in 143 (67.5%), acute surgery in 49 (23.1%) and delayed surgery in 63 (29.7%) patients. Chest drainage was the major surgical procedure used in the whole group. Of 61 patients who died, 52 had chest injury. In this subgroup the most frequent cause of death was decompensated traumatic shock (26 patients; 50%). In the whole group, 32 polytrauma

  16. CT diagnosis of blunt laryngeal trauma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kong Fanbin; Xia Ruigan; Hu Libin

    2000-01-01

    Objective: To analyze CT findings of blunt laryngeal trauma (BLT) and evaluate the value of CT in the diagnosis of BLT. Methods: CT diagnosis and treatment of 16 patients with BLT were reviewed. Results: Soft-tissue injuries were detected in five cases including swelling of the aryepiglottic folds, the false or true vocal cords and airway narrowing in four, and left cricoarytenoid dislocation and card paralysis in one. Supraglottic injuries in two cases including c fractures of the epiglottis in 2 and associated with a laceration of the aryepiglottic folds and the hypopharynx. Glottic injuries in four cases including ventricle fracture of the right thyroid ala in one and midline ventricle or comminute fractures of the thyroid cartilage in three, a square segment of cartilage was depressed into the larynx, and the true vocal cords and the anterior commissure were disrupted in one of this series. Subglottic injuries in five cases including cricoid ring fracture on the opposite side following a lateral force in one, with the fragment depressed into the larynx. Two showed marked comminution of the cricoid ring. Midline vertical fracture of the posterior cricoid plate associated with the laceration of the first tracheal ring in one, and one presented marked disruption of the right cricothyroid joint. Conclusion: CT clearly shows the extent of cartilaginous injury and displacement, related soft-tissue changes and the degree of resulting airway encroachment, and it may be successfully used to determine the need for open exploration and repair in selected cases of blunt trauma to the larynx

  17. Imaging of thoracic trauma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Uffmann, M.; Herold, C.J.; Fuchs, M.

    1998-01-01

    Blunt trauma to the chest results from transfer of kinetic energy to the human body. It may cause a wide range of mostly life-threatening injuries, including fractures of the thoracic skeleton, disintegration of the pleural space, contusion or laceration of pulmonary parenchyma and damage to the mediastinal structures. For a systematic approach it may be helpful to follow an organ-based evaluation of thoracic trauma. However, it should be borne in mind that subtle injuries may be associated with serious complications. Trauma to the chest may affect different anatomic compartments at the same time, requiring and extending diagnostic approach. Conventional radiography plays a major role in diagnosting thoracic trauma, complemented by ultrasound examination of the pleura and abdomen. It is well documented that CT scanning represents a major technological improvement for assessment of thoracic trauma. With the advent of fast helical CT scanning this method becomes more applicable for severly traumatized patients and potentially replaces other time-consuming procedures. State-of-the-art imaging of both projection and cross-sectional techniques provides useful information for immediate and appropriate treatment mandatory in patients with thoracic trauma. (orig.) [de

  18. Utilizing DMAIC six sigma and evidence-based medicine to streamline diagnosis in chest pain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kumar, Sameer; Thomas, Kory M

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to quantify the difference between the current process flow model for a typical patient workup for chest pain and development of a new process flow model that incorporates DMAIC (define, measure, analyze, improve, control) Six Sigma and evidence-based medicine in a best practices model for diagnosis and treatment. The first stage, DMAIC Six Sigma, is used to highlight areas of variability and unnecessary tests in the current process flow for a patient presenting to the emergency department or physician's clinic with chest pain (also known as angina). The next stage, patient process flow, utilizes DMAIC results in the development of a simulated model that represents real-world variability in the diagnosis and treatment of a patient presenting with angina. The third and final stage is used to analyze the evidence-based output and quantify the factors that drive physician diagnosis accuracy and treatment, as well as review the potential for a broad national evidence-based database. Because of the collective expertise captured within the computer-oriented evidence-based model, the study has introduced an innovative approach to health care delivery by bringing expert-level care to any physician triaging a patient for chest pain anywhere in the world. Similar models can be created for other ailments as well, such as headache, gastrointestinal upset, and back pain. This updated way of looking at diagnosing patients stemming from an evidence-based best practice decision support model may improve workflow processes and cost savings across the health care continuum.

  19. Chest radiography in supporting the diagnosis of asthma in children with persistent cough.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Halaby, Claudia; Feuerman, Martin; Barlev, Dan; Pirzada, Melodi

    2014-03-01

    To establish whether chest radiographic findings suggestive of lower airway obstruction (LAO) disease support the diagnosis of asthma in pediatric patients with persistent cough in an outpatient setting. 180 patient charts were reviewed. The patients were children aged 1 to 18 years referred over a 3-year period to a pediatric pulmonary subspecialty clinic for evaluation of cough lasting ≥ 4 weeks. Chest radiographic images obtained after the initial evaluation of 90 patients diagnosed with cough-variant asthma and 90 patients diagnosed with persistent cough from nonasthma origins were compared with radiologic findings of a control group consisting of patients with a positive tuberculin skin test and no respiratory symptoms. Increased peribronchial markings/peribronchial cuffing and hyperinflation were considered radiographically suggestive findings of LAO disease. Children diagnosed with cough-variant asthma at the initial evaluation had higher rates of chest radiographic findings suggestive of LAO disease (30.00%) than children with persistent cough from other causes (17.80%) or those with a positive tuberculin skin test and no respiratory symptoms (8.16%) (overall P value = 0.0063). They also had higher rates of spirometry abnormalities suggestive of an LAO defect. Children with chest radiographic findings suggestive of LAO disease were found to be younger than those with normal chest radiographic findings (5.0 ± 2.7 years vs 8.6 ± 4.7 years; P < 0.0001). This study suggests that chest radiographic findings indicative of an LAO in correlation with the clinical presentation can support the diagnostic suspicion of asthma, especially in younger children unable to perform spirometry.

  20. Surgical treatment of multiple rib fractures and flail chest in trauma: a one-year follow-up study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Caragounis, Eva-Corina; Fagevik Olsén, Monika; Pazooki, David; Granhed, Hans

    2016-01-01

    Multiple rib fractures and unstable thoracic cage injuries are common in blunt trauma. Surgical management of rib fractures has received increasing attention in recent years and the aim of this 1-year, prospective study was to assess the long-term effects of surgery. Fifty-four trauma patients with median Injury Severity Score 20 (9-66) and median New Injury Severity Score 34 (16-66) who presented with multiple rib fractures and flail chest, and underwent surgical stabilization with plate fixation were recruited. Patients responded to a standardized questionnaire concerning pain, local discomfort, breathlessness and use of analgesics and health-related quality of life (EQ-5D-3 L) questionnaire at 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months and 1 year. Lung function, breathing movements, range of motion and physical function were measured at 3 months, 6 months and 1 year. Symptoms associated with pain, breathlessness and use of analgesics significantly decreased from 6 weeks to 1 year following surgery. After 1 year, 13 % of patients complained of pain at rest, 47 % had local discomfort and 9 % used analgesics. The EQ-5D-3 L index increased from 0.78 to 0.93 and perceived overall health state increased from 60 to 90 % (p rib fractures and flail chest show a gradual improvement in symptoms associated with pain, quality of life, mobility, disability and lung function over 1 year post surgery. Therefore, the final outcome of surgery cannot be assessed before 1 year post-operatively.

  1. [Developmental trauma disorder: towards a rational diagnosis for chronically traumatized children].

    Science.gov (United States)

    van der Kolk, Bessel A

    2009-01-01

    Less than eight years after the establishment of the National Child Traumatic Stress Network in 2001 it has become evident that the current diagnostic classification system is inadequate for tens of thousands of traumatized children. While the inclusion of PTSD in the psychiatric classification system in 1980 led to extensive scientific studies of that diagnosis, over the past 25 years there has been a parallel emergence of the field of Developmental Psychopathology, which has documented the effects of interpersonal trauma and disruption of caregiving systems on the development of affect regulation, attention, cognition, perception, and interpersonal relationships. Another significant development has been the increasing documentation of the effects of adverse early life experiences on brain development. The goal of introducing the diagnosis of Developmental Trauma Disorder is to capture the reality of the clinical presentations of children and adolescents exposed to chronic interpersonal trauma. Whether or not they exhibit some symptoms of PTSD, children who have developed in the context of ongoing danger, maltreatment, and inadequate caregiving systems are ill-served by the current diagnostic system, as it frequently leads to multiple unrelated diagnoses, an emphasis on behavioral control without recognition of interpersonal trauma and lack of safety in the etiology of symptoms, and a lack of attention to ameliorating the developmental disruptions that underlie the symptoms.

  2. Chest wall – underappreciated structure in sonography. Part II: Non-cancerous lesions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andrzej Smereczyński

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available The chest wall is a vast and complex structure, hence the wide range of pathological conditions that may affect it. The aim of this publication is to discuss the usefulness of ultrasound for the diagnosis of benign lesions involving the thoracic wall. The most commonly encountered conditions include sternal and costal injuries and thoracic lymphadenopathy. Ultrasound is very efficient in identifying the etiology of pain experienced in the anterior chest wall following CPR interventions. Both available literature and the authors’ own experience prompt us to propose ultrasound evaluation as the first step in the diagnostic workup of chest trauma, as it permits far superior visualization of the examined structures compared with conventional radiography. Sonographic evaluation allows correct diagnosis in the case of various costal and chondral defects suspicious for cancer. It also facilitates diagnosis of such conditions as degenerative lesions, subluxation of sternoclavicular joints (SCJs and inflammatory lesions of various etiology and location. US may be used as the diagnostic modality of choice in conditions following thoracoscopy or thoracotomy. It may also visualize the fairly common sternal wound infection, including bone inflammation. Slipping rib syndrome, relatively little known among clinicians, has also been discussed in the study. A whole gamut of benign lesions of thoracic soft tissues, such as enlarged lymph nodes, torn muscles, hematomas, abscesses, fissures, scars or foreign bodies, are all easily identified on ultrasound, just like in other superficially located organs.

  3. A rare case of traumatic chylothorax after blunt thoracic trauma

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    Spasić Marko

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction. Chylothorax is an accumulation of chyle in the pleural cavity due to a disruption of the thoracic duct. Traumatic chylothoraces are usually a result of a penetrating trauma and disruption of the thoracic duct, but blunt traumatic chylothorax is a rare condition. The aim of this paper is to present a rare case of traumatic chylothorax after blunt thoracic trauma. Case Outline. We present a case of traumatic chylothorax after blunt thoracic trauma in a patient injured in a motor vehicle accident. The patient had a right-sided fracture of rib XI, hydropneumothorax, lung contusion, and signs of pneumomediastinum. We performed thoracic drainage, but a few days later, according to the increase of amount of the fluid daily drained, and the confirmation of laboratory findings of the analyzed fluid, we made a diagnosis of chylothorax and the patient underwent a thoracotomy, where we sutured the thoracic duct. Conclusion. Chylothorax should be considered in patients after chest trauma if they develop a milky pleural effusion. Analysis of pleural fluid and level of triglycerides is important for the diagnosis and treatment of chylothorax. [Project of the Serbian Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, Grant no. III41007

  4. [Value of chest x-ray films in the diagnosis of congenital heart defects in infants].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koczyński, A

    1982-01-01

    The respiratory distress and suspicion of the heart defects in newborns and infants is indicated by x-ray chest examinations. The right interpretation of the x-ray pictures is very important but it must be followed by other diagnostic procedures. In every child it is possible to take the linear measurements of the great vessels and arteries in parahilar lung areas as well as the heart and chest in two dimensions from x-ray plain films. The measurements let to establish the indices: cardio-thoracic (ICP), vasculo-cardiac (IVC) and sagittal one (IS), which play important role in radiological evaluation of the chest. It results from the investigated material, that the evaluation of the pulmonary vascular pattern and the indices particularly facilitate the diagnosis of heart deformities coexisting with higher blood flow in pulmonary circulation. Nevertheless the measurements and the indices play the relative role in establishing of the final opinion about the chest and should be considered together with clinical and cardiological data.

  5. CT evaluation of pulmonary parenchymal injury due to blunt chest trauma and its clinical significance

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Niimi, Hiroshi

    1990-01-01

    The CT findings of pulmonary parenchymal injury due to blunt chest trauma in 73 patients and their clinical significance were analyzed. CT was obtained within 6 hours after trauma. Findings were analyzed according to the number of injured segments and severity which was classified into three grades. A correlation was also made with arterial blood PaO 2 and thoracic complications. Pulmonary parenchymal injury was identified in multisegmental portions bilaterally in most cases. It was most frequently observed in the posterior portion of the lung such as segment 6. More than 50% of lesions were classified as Grade 1. Pulmonary laceration, defined as patchy density with the cavitary lesion (Grade 3), was noted in 9.2%. There was a good correlation between extent of pulmonary injury and degree of hypoxia. The correlation of pneumothorax was also found with extensive lesion and frequency of Grade 3 lesion. Cases with pulmonary laceration tend to have extensive injury, and be related to the degree of hypoxia. In conclusion, CT evaluation of pulmonary parenchymal injury is valuable not only for morphological evaluation but also for estimation of hypoxia. (author)

  6. CT evaluation of pulmonary parenchymal injury due to blunt chest trauma and its clinical significance

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Niimi, Hiroshi (St. Marianna University School of Medicine, Kawasaki, Kanagawa (Japan))

    1990-10-01

    The CT findings of pulmonary parenchymal injury due to blunt chest trauma in 73 patients and their clinical significance were analyzed. CT was obtained within 6 hours after trauma. Findings were analyzed according to the number of injured segments and severity which was classified into three grades. A correlation was also made with arterial blood PaO{sub 2} and thoracic complications. Pulmonary parenchymal injury was identified in multisegmental portions bilaterally in most cases. It was most frequently observed in the posterior portion of the lung such as segment 6. More than 50% of lesions were classified as Grade 1. Pulmonary laceration, defined as patchy density with the cavitary lesion (Grade 3), was noted in 9.2%. There was a good correlation between extent of pulmonary injury and degree of hypoxia. The correlation of pneumothorax was also found with extensive lesion and frequency of Grade 3 lesion. Cases with pulmonary laceration tend to have extensive injury, and be related to the degree of hypoxia. In conclusion, CT evaluation of pulmonary parenchymal injury is valuable not only for morphological evaluation but also for estimation of hypoxia. (author).

  7. Open pneumothorax resulting from blunt thoracic trauma: a case report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McClintick, Colleen M

    2008-01-01

    Cases of open pneumothorax have been documented as early as 326 BC. Until the last 50 years, understanding of the epidemiology and treatment of penetrating chest trauma has arisen from military surgery. A better understanding of cardiopulmonary dynamics, advances in ventilatory support, and improvement in surgical technique have drastically improved treatment and increased the survival rate of patients with penetrating thoracic trauma. Open pneumothorax is rare in blunt chest trauma, but can occur when injury results in a substantial loss of the chest wall. This case study presents an adolescent who sustained a large open pneumothorax as a result of being run over by a car. Early and appropriate surgical intervention coupled with coordinated efforts by all members of the trauma team resulted in a positive outcome for this patient.

  8. Occult Pneumothoraces in Acute Trauma Patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chad Berryman

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Many traumatic pneumothoraces (PTX are not seen on initial chest radiograph (CR(occult PTX but are detected only on computed tomography (CT. Although CR remains the first toolfor detecting PTX, most trauma patients with significant thoracoabdominal injuries will receive both CTand CR. The primary objective of this study was to retrospectively determine the effectiveness of CR fordetecting PTX in trauma patients. Our hypotheses were that CR is a sensitive indicator of PTX on CT,that chest pain and shortness of breath are good predictors of PTX on CR, and that we could determineother predictors of PTX on CR.Methods: All trauma patients presenting to our Level I trauma center with a CT-diagnosed PTX over a2-year period who had both a CR and a chest CT were included. The CT reading was considered thegold standard for PTX diagnosis. Electronic medical records were searched using key words fordiagnoses, symptoms, demographics, and radiologic results. We recorded the official radiologistreadings for both CR and CT (positive or negative and the size of the PTX on CT (large, moderate,small, or tiny. The outcome variable was dichotomized based on presence or absence of PTXdetected on CR. Descriptive statistics and v2 tests were used for univariate analysis. A regressionanalysis was performed to determine characteristics predictive of a PTX on CR, and 1 variable wasadded to the model for every 10 positive CRs. With equal-size groups, this study has the power of 80%to detect a 10% absolute difference in single predictors of PTX on CR with 45 subjects in each group.Results: There were 134 CT-documented PTXs included in the study. Mean age was 42, and 74%were men. For 66 (49% patients, PTX was detected on CR (sensitivity¼50%. The CR detected 30%of small PTX, 35% of moderate PTX, and 33% of large PTX. Comparing patients with and without PTXon CR, there were no significant differences in shortness of breath or chest pain. There no

  9. Occult pneumothoraces in acute trauma patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ernst, Amy A; McIntyre, William A; Weiss, Steven J; Berryman, Chad

    2012-11-01

    Many traumatic pneumothoraces (PTX) are not seen on initial chest radiograph (CR) (occult PTX) but are detected only on computed tomography (CT). Although CR remains the first tool for detecting PTX, most trauma patients with significant thoracoabdominal injuries will receive both CT and CR. The primary objective of this study was to retrospectively determine the effectiveness of CR for detecting PTX in trauma patients. Our hypotheses were that CR is a sensitive indicator of PTX on CT, that chest pain and shortness of breath are good predictors of PTX on CR, and that we could determine other predictors of PTX on CR. All trauma patients presenting to our Level I trauma center with a CT-diagnosed PTX over a 2-year period who had both a CR and a chest CT were included. The CT reading was considered the gold standard for PTX diagnosis. Electronic medical records were searched using key words for diagnoses, symptoms, demographics, and radiologic results. We recorded the official radiologist readings for both CR and CT (positive or negative) and the size of the PTX on CT (large, moderate, small, or tiny). The outcome variable was dichotomized based on presence or absence of PTX detected on CR. Descriptive statistics and χ(2) tests were used for univariate analysis. A regression analysis was performed to determine characteristics predictive of a PTX on CR, and 1 variable was added to the model for every 10 positive CRs. With equal-size groups, this study has the power of 80% to detect a 10% absolute difference in single predictors of PTX on CR with 45 subjects in each group. There were 134 CT-documented PTXs included in the study. Mean age was 42, and 74% were men. For 66 (49%) patients, PTX was detected on CR (sensitivity = 50%). The CR detected 30% of small PTX, 35% of moderate PTX, and 33% of large PTX. Comparing patients with and without PTX on CR, there were no significant differences in shortness of breath or chest pain. There no relationships between PTX detected

  10. Radiology of thoracic trauma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Stark, P.

    1987-01-01

    This course provides an overview of the radiologic manifestations of trauma to the chest. The basic mechanisms of injury are discussed. The effect of trauma on the chest wall, the lung parenchyma, and the pleural space is described. Rib fractures, sternal fractures, lung contusion, lung hematoma, lung laceration, post-traumatic atelectasis, hemothorax, chylothorax, pneumothorax, and adult respiratory distress syndrome are discussed and illustrated. Injuries to the tracheobronchial tree, the aorta and brachiocephalic vessels, the esophagus, the diaphragm, and the heart are also presented. The purpose of the lecture is to familiarize the audience with common and unusual radiologic presentations of traumatic injury to the thorax

  11. Diagnostic problems in chest injuries (angiography)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wenz, W.; Strecker, E.P.; Kloehn, I.

    1979-01-01

    Roentgenography is the simplest and most reliable means to arrive at the diagnosis of chest injury. General roentgenograms are difficult to interpret as they tend to be technically imperfect. Fractures, emphysema, pneumothorax, accumulation of fluid can usually be ascertained directly; but the traumatic origin of changes in the pulmonary parenchyma or of an enlarged heart shadow cannot be reliably deduced from the X-ray appearance. It may provide some differential-diagnostic information but the correct interpretation of the findings depends on further observation. In 6-7% of severe chest trauma with vascular injuries and rupture of the diaphragm angiography is indicated. The evidence to be obtained from chest radiography should not be overestimated: fractures of ribs are sometimes overlocked, even by the expert; parenchymatous lesions may manifest themselves as shadows but their nature remains obscure until they have been related to the clinical and subsequent radiological findings. The same applies to rupture of the diaphragm, bronchi or vessels, if only the immediate posttraumatic roentgenographs are examined. A tent-shaped heart shadow is considered characteristic of the presence of fluid in the pericardium; this is valid only for chronic hydropericardium, but not for the potentially fatal cardiac tamponade; if the pericardium has lost its elasticity a haemorrhage of not more than 150 ml may prove fatal. Nor does the roentgenogram provide information about pulmonary function. Especially in cases of pulmonary shock minor changes in the chest roentgenogram may give a false sense of security when, in fact, blood gas analyses show that a life-endangering situation has developed. The radiologist who is aware of the limitations of the method will derive maximum diagnostic benefit from a chest angiography. No other method is capable of supplying information of such great importance in such a short time. (orig.) [de

  12. Co-existence of Posttraumatic Empyema Thoracis and Lung Abscess in a Child After Blunt Chest Trauma: A Case Report

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chang-Hung Kuo

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Posttraumatic empyema is a rare complication of trauma with an incidence of 1.6–2.4% in trauma patients. However, it is rarely reported in children. We report the case of a 15-year-old boy who was involved in a traffic accident and diagnosed with a pulmonary contusion at a local hospital. Fourteen days after the accident, posttraumatic empyema thoracis and lung abscess developed with clinical presentations of fever, productive cough and right chest pain. He was successfully treated with computed tomography-guided catheter drainage and intravenous cefotaxime. We emphasize that posttraumatic empyema thoracis and lung abscess are very rare in children, and careful follow-up for posttraumatic lung contusion is essential. Image-guided catheter drainage can be an adjunctive tool for treating selected patients, although most complicated cases of post-traumatic empyema thoracis require decortication therapy.

  13. Chest injuries in Tikur Anbessa Hospital, Addis Ababa: a three year ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Chest drainage is a life-saving procedure for patients with chest injuries which all doctors should be confident with. Introduction. Trauma is a leading cause of .... This retrospective review of 72 cases demonstrated that the majority of patients presenting with chest injury can be treated with simple pleural cavity drainage.

  14. ABDOMINAL TRAUMA- CLINICAL STUDY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vanaja Ratnakumari Billa

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND In the recent times there has been increased incidence of abdominal trauma cases due to several causes. Quick and prompt intervention is needed to decrease the mortality of the patients. So we conducted a study to assess the cause and the management of abdominal trauma cases in our institution. The aim of this study was to know the incidence of blunt and penetrating injuries and their causes, age and sex incidence, importance of various investigations, mode of treatment offered and post-operative complications. To study the cause of death and evolve better management. MATERIALS AND METHODS The present study comprises of patients admitted to and operated in various surgical units in the Department of Surgery at Government General Hospital, attached to Guntur Medical College Guntur, from August 2014 to October 2016. RESULTS Increase incidence seen in age group 20-29 years (30%. Male predominance 77.5%. Mechanism of injury–road traffic accidents 65%. Isolated organ injury–colon and rectum 40%. Other associated injuries–chest injuries with rib fractures 7.5%. Complications–wound infection 17.5%. Duration of hospital stay 8–14 days. Bowel injury management–closure of perforation 84.6%. Resection anastomosis 15.38%. CONCLUSION Thorough clinical examination, diagnostic paracentesis, plain X-ray erect abdomen and ultrasound proved to be very helpful in the diagnosis of intra-abdominal injuries. Spleen is the commonest organ involved in blunt trauma and colon is the commonly injured organ in penetrating abdominal trauma, many patients have associated extremity and axial skeleton injuries. With advances in diagnosis and intensive care technologies, most patients of solid visceral injuries with hemodynamic stability can be managed conservatively. Surgical site infection is the most common complication following surgery. The mortality is high; reason might be patient reaching the hospital late, high incidence of postoperative septic

  15. New scoring system for intra-abdominal injury diagnosis after blunt trauma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shojaee, Majid; Faridaalaee, Gholamreza; Yousefifard, Mahmoud; Yaseri, Mehdi; Arhami Dolatabadi, Ali; Sabzghabaei, Anita; Malekirastekenari, Ali

    2014-01-01

    An accurate scoring system for intra-abdominal injury (IAI) based on clinical manifestation and examination may decrease unnecessary CT scans, save time, and reduce healthcare cost. This study is designed to provide a new scoring system for a better diagnosis of IAI after blunt trauma. This prospective observational study was performed from April 2011 to October 2012 on patients aged above 18 years and suspected with blunt abdominal trauma (BAT) admitted to the emergency department (ED) of Imam Hussein Hospital and Shohadaye Hafte Tir Hospital. All patients were assessed and treated based on Advanced Trauma Life Support and ED protocol. Diagnosis was done according to CT scan findings, which was considered as the gold standard. Data were gathered based on patient's history, physical exam, ultrasound and CT scan findings by a general practitioner who was not blind to this study. Chi-square test and logistic regression were done. Factors with significant relationship with CT scan were imported in multivariate regression models, where a coefficient (β) was given based on the contribution of each of them. Scoring system was developed based on the obtained total β of each factor. Altogether 261 patients (80.1% male) were enrolled (48 cases of IAI). A 24-point blunt abdominal trauma scoring system (BATSS) was developed. Patients were divided into three groups including low (scoretool for BAT detection and has the potential to reduce unnecessary CT scan and cut unnecessary costs.

  16. Computed tomography in the evaluation of trauma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Federle, M.P.; Brant-Zawadzki, M.

    1982-01-01

    This book is intended to be the current standard for computed tomography in the evaluation of trauma. It summarizes two years of experience at San Francisco General Hospital. The book is organized into seven chapters, covering head, maxillofacial, laryngeal, spinal, chest, abdominal, acetabular, and pelvic trauma. Extremity trauma is not discussed

  17. Cause analysis of missing diagnosis for vertebral fracture on lateral chest radiography

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yu Wei; Yao Jinpeng; Lin Qiang; Mu Wenbin

    2010-01-01

    Objective: To analyze the cause of missing diagnosis for vertebral fracture on lateral chest radiography. Methods: Lateral chest radiographies of 1638 hospitalized patients (871 males and 767 females) were retrospectively reviewed for identifying vertebral fractures. Their ages ranged from 50 to 91 years with the mean of 63.5 years. Complains and application for chest radiography in all patients were not related to osteoporosis and vertebral fracture. Vertebral fracture and fracture severity were evaluated using Genant's semiquantitative visual method, taking approximately a 20%-25% vertebral height reduction as mild grade, 26%--40% as moderate grade and 41% or greater as severe grade. Evaluation results of the vertebral fracture, original X-ray reports, as well as medical records were compared for further analysis. Results: Eighty-four in 1638 patients showed vertebral fractures on the lateral chest radiographies. Of them, vertebral fractures were reported in 30 cases and 54 patients were not reported on their original X-ray reports. There were 63 vertebral fractures in 54 un-reported patients, most of which were single fracture (75% or 47/63). Grade I fracture accounted for 54% (34/63), Grade II fracture 33% (21/63), while 13% presented grade III fracture (8/63). In all 84 patients with vertebral fractures, only 5 cases (6%) underwent dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) measurement, 5 cases (6%) were recorded to have vertebral fractures on the medical papers, as well as 15 cases (18%) were prescribed drugs related to the osteoporosis when discharged from hospital. All drugs prescribed for the 15 patients were limited only to calcium. Conclusions: More attention should be paid to osteoporosis by doctors including radiologists. Vertebral fracture on lateral chest radiography should be completely diagnosed, which is helpful for both prevention and treatment. (authors)

  18. Computer-aided diagnosis in chest radiology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    MacMahon, H; Doi, K; Chan, H P; Giger, M L; Katsuragawa, S; Nakamori, N

    1990-01-01

    Digital radiography offers several important advantages over conventional systems, including abilities for image manipulation, transmission, and storage. In the long term, however, the unique ability to apply artificial intelligence techniques for automated detection and quantitation of disease may have an even greater impact on radiologic practice. Although CAD is still in its infancy, the results of several recent studies clearly indicate a major potential for the future. The concept of using computers to analyze medical images is not new, but recent advances in computer technology together with progress in implementing practical digital radiography systems have stimulated research efforts in this exciting field. Several facets of CAD are presently being developed at the University of Chicago and elsewhere for application in chest radiology as well as in mammography and vascular imaging. To date, investigators have focused on a limited number of subjects that have been, by their nature, particularly suitable for computer analysis. There is no aspect of radiologic diagnosis that could not potentially benefit from this approach, however. The ultimate goal of these endeavors is to provide a system for comprehensive automated image analysis, the results of which could be accepted or modified at the discretion of the radiologist.

  19. Diagnosis of traumatic cardiac contusion

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Waxman, K.; Soliman, M.H.; Braunstein, P.; Formosa, P.; Cohen, A.J.; Matsuura, P.; Mason, G.R.

    1986-01-01

    Cardiac contusion following blunt chest trauma remains a diagnostic problem because of a lack of sensitive diagnostic tests. This study evaluated thallous chloride Tl 201 single-photon-emission computed tomography in a series of 48 patients following blunt chest trauma. Of the 48 patients, 23 had normal scans. None of these patients proved to have serious arrhythmias during three days of continuous monitoring. Of 25 patients with abnormal or ambiguous studies, five (20%) developed serious arrhythmias requiring therapy. Single-photon-emission computed tomography scanning thus was sensitive in indicating that group of patients at risk of serious arrhythmias, and may therefore prove to be a useful screening test to determine the need for hospitalization and arrhythmia monitoring following blunt chest trauma

  20. Toracoplastia traumática: relato de caso Trauma-related thoracoplasty: case report

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gabriela Addor

    2007-06-01

    Full Text Available O trauma é uma doença que afeta predominantemente os jovens, sendo a principal causa de morte nas primeiras três décadas de vida. O tórax instável é observado em aproximadamente 10% dos casos de trauma de tórax, com mortalidade de 10-15%. O caso clínico apresentado refere-se a uma paciente, vítima de acidente automobilístico, com trauma de tórax, ocasionando hemopneumotórax e fratura de múltiplos arcos costais, dor de difícil controle e deformidade torácica. São discutidas as opções terapêuticas. No presente caso, foi realizada fixação cirúrgica, com bom resultado.Trauma primarily affects young people and is the leading cause of death in the first three decades of life. Flail chest is observed in approximately 10% of all patients with severe chest trauma, and the mortality rate among such patients is 10-15%. We report herein the case of a car accident victim with chest trauma causing hemopneumothorax and multiple rib fractures, intense pain and deformity of the chest wall. Surgical stabilization was performed, with good results. Therapeutic options are also discussed.

  1. A prehospital use of ITClamp for haemostatic control and fixation of a chest tube

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Barnung, S; Steinmetz, J

    2014-01-01

    We here present three cases in which a new device, the ITClamp Hemorrhage Control System (Innovative Trauma Care, Inc., Edmonton, Canada), was used for bleeding control and for securing a chest tube.......We here present three cases in which a new device, the ITClamp Hemorrhage Control System (Innovative Trauma Care, Inc., Edmonton, Canada), was used for bleeding control and for securing a chest tube....

  2. Ultrasonography in the diagnosis of traumatic hemothorax

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hilendarov, A.; Nedeva-Petkova, M.; Simova, E.; Semova, R.; Georgieva, M.; Alexieva, D.

    2006-01-01

    Full text: The possibilities and advantages of US tomography in the diagnosis and follow-up of traumatic hemothorax in major trauma patients were presented. US examinations of the chest in conditions of emergency with purpose to identify hemothorax were performed in 56 (41 male and 15 female patients for a period of two years.US machine 'Siemens-Adara' supplied with 3.5 and 7 MHz linear and convex transducers was used. The right and left intercostal oblique view was used for US examination to identify free pleural fluid. Tube thoracotomy and/or a CT scan of the chest were used as the criterion standard for positive findings of hemothorax among the studied patients. In 49 (87.5%) of all 56 major trauma patients was achieved true-positive diagnostic result of hemothorax confirmed in 39 cases post operatively and in 10 after investigation by CT. In 6 (10.71%) patients - true-negative and in 1 (1.7%) false negative results were obtained. Our experience demonstrated that US is a sensitive, specific, and accurate diagnostic method in detecting traumatic hemothorax. The advantages of US tomography in the diagnosis of traumatic hemothorax are: First - the examination is not influenced by the position of the patient: Second - the rapidity of examination is 2-4 min and simultaneously differentiation of dense regions. Third - the possibility to present small amount of liquid collections 20-30 cc

  3. Analysis of the Revised Trauma Score (RTS) in 200 victims of different trauma mechanisms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alvarez, Bruno Durante; Razente, Danilo Mardegam; Lacerda, Daniel Augusto Mauad; Lother, Nicole Silveira; VON-Bahten, Luiz Carlos; Stahlschmidt, Carla Martinez Menini

    2016-01-01

    to analyze the epidemiological profile and mortality associated with the Revised Trauma Score (RTS) in trauma victims treated at a university hospital. we conducted a descriptive, cross-sectional study of trauma protocols (prospectively collected) from December 2013 to February 2014, including trauma victims admitted in the emergency room of the Cajuru University Hospital. We set up three groups: (G1) penetrating trauma to the abdomen and chest, (G2) blunt trauma to the abdomen and chest, and (G3) traumatic brain injury. The variables we analyzed were: gender, age, day of week, mechanism of injury, type of transportation, RTS, hospitalization time and mortality. we analyzed 200 patients, with a mean age of 36.42 ± 17.63 years, and 73.5% were male. The mean age was significantly lower in G1 than in the other groups (p grupos foram criados: (G1) trauma penetrante em abdome e tórax, (G2) trauma contuso em abdome e tórax, e (G3) trauma cranioencefálico. As variáveis analisadas foram: sexo, idade, dia da semana, mecanismo de trauma, tipo de transporte, RTS, tempo de internamento e mortalidade. analisou-se 200 pacientes, com média de idade de 36,42 ± 17,63 anos, sendo 73,5% do sexo masculino. A média de idade no G1 foi significativamente menor do que nos demais grupos (p grupos (p grupos G1, G2 e G3, respectivamente. A mediana do RTS entre os óbitos foi 5,49, 7,84 e 1,16, respectivamente, para os três grupos. a maioria dos pacientes eram homens jovens. O RTS mostrou-se efetivo na predição de mortalidade no trauma cranioencefálico, entretanto falhou ao analisar pacientes vítimas de trauma contuso e penetrante.

  4. New developments in the neuroradiological diagnosis of craniocerebral trauma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Parizel, P.M.; Maes, M.; Goethem, J.W. van; Oezsarlak, Oe.; Phillips, C.D.

    2005-01-01

    Accurate radiographic diagnosis is a cornerstone of the clinical management and outcome prediction of the head-injured patient. New technological advances, such as multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT) scanning and diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have influenced imaging strategy. In this article we review the impact of these developments on the neuroradiological diagnosis of acute head injury. In the acute phase, multi-detector CT has supplanted plain X-ray films of the skull as the initial imaging study of choice. MRI, including fluid-attenuated inversion recovery, gradient echo T2* and diffusion-weighted sequences, is useful in determining the severity of acute brain tissue injury and may help to predict outcome. The role of MRI in showing diffuse axonal injuries is emphasized. We review the different patterns of primary and secondary extra-axial and intra-axial traumatic brain lesions and integrate new insights. Assessment of intracranial hypertension and cerebral herniation are of major clinical importance in patient management. We discuss the issue of pediatric brain trauma and stress the importance of MRI in non-accidental injury. In summary, new developments in imaging technology have advanced our understanding of the pathophysiology of brain trauma and contribute to improving the survival of patients with craniocerebral injuries. (orig.)

  5. Occult pneumothoraces in Chinese patients with significant blunt chest trauma: radiological classification and proposed clinical significance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Ryan K L; Graham, Colin A; Yeung, Janice H H; Ahuja, Anil T; Rainer, Timothy H

    2012-12-01

    An occult pneumothorax (OP) is a pneumothorax not seen on a supine chest X-ray (CXR) but detected on abdominal or thoracic computed tomography (CT) scanning. With the increasing use of CT in the management of significantly injured trauma patients, more OPs are being detected. The aim of this study was to classify OPs diagnosed on thoracic CT (TCT) and correlate them with their clinical significance. Retrospective analysis of prospectively collected trauma registry data. Total 36 (N=36) consecutive significantly injured trauma patients admitted through the emergency department (ED) who sustained blunt chest trauma and underwent TCT between 1 January 2007 and 31 December 2008 were included. OP was defined as the identification (by a consultant radiologist) of a pneumothorax on TCT that had not been detected on supine CXR. OPs were classified by laterality (unilateral/bilateral) and location (apical, basal, non apical/basal). The size of pneumothoraces, severity of injury [including number of associated thoracic injuries and injury severity score (ISS)], length of hospital stay and mortality were compared between groups. The need for tube thoracostomy and clinical outcome were also analysed. Patients with bilateral OPs (N=8) had significantly more associated thoracic injuries (median: 2 vs. 1, p=0.01), higher ISS (median: 35 vs. 23, p=0.02) and longer hospital stay (median: 20 days vs. 11 days, p=0.01) than those with a unilateral OP (N=28). Basal OPs (N=7) were significantly larger than apical (N=10) and non-apical/basal Ops (N=11). Basal OPs were associated with significantly more associated thoracic injuries (median: 2 vs. 1, p=0.01), higher ISS (median: 35 vs. 25, p=0.04) and longer hospital stays (median: 23 days vs. 17 days, p=0.02) than apical Ops, which had higher ISS (median: 35 vs. 25, p=0.04) and longer hospital stays (median: 23 days vs. 15 days, p=0.02) than non-apical/basal OPs. Non-apical/basal OPs were associated with more related injuries (median: 2

  6. Influence of childhood trauma on diagnosis and substance use in first-episode psychosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tomassi, S; Tosato, S; Mondelli, V; Faravelli, C; Lasalvia, A; Fioravanti, G; Bonetto, C; Fioritti, A; Cremonese, C; Lo Parrino, R; De Santi, K; Meneghelli, A; Torresani, S; De Girolamo, G; Semrov, E; Pratelli, M; Cristofalo, D; Ruggeri, M

    2017-09-01

    Background Childhood trauma has been significantly associated with first-episode psychosis, affective dysfunction and substance use. Aims To test whether people with first-episode psychosis who had experienced childhood trauma, when compared with those who had not, showed a higher rate of affective psychosis and an increased lifetime rate of substance use. Method The sample comprised 345 participants with first-episode psychosis (58% male, mean age 29.8 years, s.d. = 9.7). Results Severe sexual abuse was significantly associated with a diagnosis of affective psychosis (χ 2 = 4.9, P = 0.04) and with higher rates of lifetime use of cannabis (68% v 41%; P = 0.02) and heroin (20% v 5%; P = 0.02). Severe physical abuse was associated with increased lifetime use of heroin (15% v 5%; P = 0.03) and cocaine (32% v 17%; P = 0.05). Conclusions Patients with first-episode psychosis exposed to childhood trauma appear to constitute a distinctive subgroup in terms of diagnosis and lifetime substance use. © The Royal College of Psychiatrists 2017.

  7. Efficient radiologic diagnosis of pelvic and acetabular trauma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kreitner, K.F.; Mildenberger, P.; Thelen, M.; Rommens, P.M.

    2000-01-01

    In spite of the widespread availability of CT scanners, conventional X-ray radiographs remain the basic imaging modality in patients with pelvic and/or acetabular trauma. However, the extent of their use will depend on local utilities (e.g., availability of CT scanners) and on the patient's clinical condition. Regarding the inaccuracy of conventional radiography in the diagnosis of injuries of the dorsal pelvic ring and of the acetabulum, computed tomography represents the most important imaging modality in the clinically stable patient. CT provides an exact staging of the extent of trauma and allows for differentiation of pelvic instabilities. CT clearly demonstrates the severity of acetabular trauma and is superior in the detection of local complicating factors, i.e., impressions fractures and (sub-)luxations of the femoral head as well as free intraarticular fragments. CT findings provide the basis for definite treatment regimens of the injured patient. By extension of the examination, all relevant organs and systems (craniospinal, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, respiratory, genitourinary) can be imaged during one session. The speed of spiral CT scanners and their diagnostic accuracy will play a major role in the management of, especially, polytraumatized patients. The indication for angiography with the option of therapeutic embolization exists if a pelvic bleeding persists even after reposition and operative fixation of the injury. (orig.) [de

  8. Multidetector computed tomography-spectrum of blunt chest wall and lung injuries in polytraumatized patients

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Peters, S., E-mail: soeren.peters@rub.d [Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, BG Universitaetsklinikum Bergmannsheil, Buerkle-de-la-Camp-Platz 1, 44789 Bochum (Germany); Nicolas, V.; Heyer, C.M. [Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, BG Universitaetsklinikum Bergmannsheil, Buerkle-de-la-Camp-Platz 1, 44789 Bochum (Germany)

    2010-04-15

    Accidental injuries are the leading cause of death in the 15 to 44-year-old age group. Blunt chest trauma is often encountered in these patients and is associated with a mortality of up to 25%. Although conventional radiography still plays an important role in the initial emergency room setting, for follow-up in the intensive care unit, multidetector computed tomography has established itself as the standard imaging method for the evaluation of chest trauma patients. The following review presents salient radiological findings of the chest wall and shoulder girdle, thoracic spine, pleural space, and lung in polytraumatized patients.

  9. Analysis of the Revised Trauma Score (RTS in 200 victims of different trauma mechanisms

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    BRUNO DURANTE ALVAREZ

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT Objective: to analyze the epidemiological profile and mortality associated with the Revised Trauma Score (RTS in trauma victims treated at a university hospital. Methods: we conducted a descriptive, cross-sectional study of trauma protocols (prospectively collected from December 2013 to February 2014, including trauma victims admitted in the emergency room of the Cajuru University Hospital. We set up three groups: (G1 penetrating trauma to the abdomen and chest, (G2 blunt trauma to the abdomen and chest, and (G3 traumatic brain injury. The variables we analyzed were: gender, age, day of week, mechanism of injury, type of transportation, RTS, hospitalization time and mortality. Results: we analyzed 200 patients, with a mean age of 36.42 ± 17.63 years, and 73.5% were male. The mean age was significantly lower in G1 than in the other groups (p <0.001. Most (40% of the visits occurred on weekends and the most common pre-hospital transport service (58% was the SIATE (Emergency Trauma Care Integrated Service. The hospital stay was significantly higher in G1 compared with the other groups (p <0.01. Regarding mortality, there were 12%, 1.35% and 3.95% of deaths in G1, G2 and G3, respectively. The median RTS among the deaths was 5.49, 7.84 and 1.16, respectively, for the three groups. Conclusion: the majority of patients were young men. RTS was effective in predicting mortality in traumatic brain injury, however failing to predict it in patients suffering from blunt and penetrating trauma.

  10. Trauma-induced "Macklin effect" with pneumothorax and large pneumomediastinum, disguised by allergy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Di Saverio, Salomone; Kawamukai, Kenji; Biscardi, Andrea; Villani, Silvia; Zucchini, Luca; Tugnoli, Gregorio

    2013-09-01

    A 56-year-old man presented spontaneously to the Emergency Department complaining of facial and neck oedema after assumption of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS). The triage nurse assigned the patient to Accident & Emergency (A&E) doctor as probable allergic reaction to NSAIDS. Chest X-ray (CXR), ordered after 24 hours, revealed a huge subcutaneous chest and neck emphysema without clearly visible pneumothorax. Subsequent chest CT scan showed a small left pneumothorax and a large amount of air in the mediastinum. The patient was conservatively treated since he was eupnoeic and hemodynamically stable. The pathophysiology of pneumomediastinum was first described by Macklin in 1939. The Macklin effect involves alveolar ruptures with air dissection along bronchovascular sheaths to the mediastinum. In this case the patient did not report in his history a recent blunt thoracic trauma and the initial suspicion of an allergic reaction has prevented physicians to immediately achieve the correct diagnosis.

  11. Diagnosis of Coronary Artery Disease in Patients with Chest Pain by Means of Magnetocardiography

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kwon, H.; Kim, K.; Kim, J. M.; Lee, Y. H.; Kim, T. E.; Lim, H. K.; Park, Y. K.; Ko, Y. G.; Chung, N.

    2006-01-01

    Magnetocardiography(MCG) has been proposed as a novel and non-invasive diagnostic tool for the detection of cardiac electrical abnormality associated with myocardial ischemia. In our previous study, we have proposed a new classification method of MCG parameters, based on the different populations of the parameters between coronary artery disease(CAD) patients, symptomatic patients and healthy volunteers. We used four parameters, representing the directional changes of the electrical activity in the period of an R-ST-T interval. In patients with chest pain and without ST-segment elevation, who were selected consecutively from all patients admitted to the hospital in 2004, the patients with CAD could be classified with a higher sensitivity than conventional methods, showing that the proposed method can be useful for the diagnosis of CAD with MCG. In this study, we examined the validity of the algorithm with the prior probability distribution in diagnosis of new patients admitted to the hospital in 2005. In the results, presence of CAD could be found with sensitivity and specificity of 81.3% and 71.4%, respectively, in patients with chest pain and non-diagnostic ECG findings

  12. Management of computed tomography-detected pneumothorax in patients with blunt trauma: experience from a community-based hospital

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hefny, Ashraf F; Kunhivalappil, Fathima T; Matev, Nikolay; Avila, Norman A; Bashir, Masoud O; Abu-Zidan, Fikri M

    2018-01-01

    INTRODUCTION Diagnoses of pneumothorax, especially occult pneumothorax, have increased as the use of computed tomography (CT) for imaging trauma patients becomes near-routine. However, the need for chest tube insertion remains controversial. We aimed to study the management of pneumothorax detected on CT among patients with blunt trauma, including the decision for tube thoracostomy, in a community-based hospital. METHODS Chest CT scans of patients with blunt trauma treated at Al Rahba Hospital, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, from October 2010 to October 2014 were retrospectively studied. Variables studied included demography, mechanism of injury, endotracheal intubation, pneumothorax volume, chest tube insertion, Injury Severity Score, hospital length of stay and mortality. RESULTS CT was performed in 703 patients with blunt trauma. Overall, pneumothorax was detected on CT for 74 (10.5%) patients. Among the 65 patients for whom pneumothorax was detected before chest tube insertion, 25 (38.5%) needed chest tube insertion, while 40 (61.5%) did not. Backward stepwise likelihood regression showed that independent factors that significantly predicted chest tube insertion were endotracheal intubation (p = 0.01), non-United Arab Emirates nationality (p = 0.01) and pneumothorax volume (p = 0.03). The receiver operating characteristic curve showed that the best pneumothorax volume that predicted chest tube insertion was 30 mL. CONCLUSION Chest tube was inserted in less than half of the patients with blunt trauma for whom pneumothorax was detected on CT. Pneumothorax volume should be considered in decision-making regarding chest tube insertion. Conservative treatment may be sufficient for pneumothorax of volume < 30 mL. PMID:28741012

  13. Management of computed tomography-detected pneumothorax in patients with blunt trauma: experience from a community-based hospital.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hefny, Ashraf F; Kunhivalappil, Fathima T; Matev, Nikolay; Avila, Norman A; Bashir, Masoud O; Abu-Zidan, Fikri M

    2018-03-01

    Diagnoses of pneumothorax, especially occult pneumothorax, have increased as the use of computed tomography (CT) for imaging trauma patients becomes near-routine. However, the need for chest tube insertion remains controversial. We aimed to study the management of pneumothorax detected on CT among patients with blunt trauma, including the decision for tube thoracostomy, in a community-based hospital. Chest CT scans of patients with blunt trauma treated at Al Rahba Hospital, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, from October 2010 to October 2014 were retrospectively studied. Variables studied included demography, mechanism of injury, endotracheal intubation, pneumothorax volume, chest tube insertion, Injury Severity Score, hospital length of stay and mortality. CT was performed in 703 patients with blunt trauma. Overall, pneumothorax was detected on CT for 74 (10.5%) patients. Among the 65 patients for whom pneumothorax was detected before chest tube insertion, 25 (38.5%) needed chest tube insertion, while 40 (61.5%) did not. Backward stepwise likelihood regression showed that independent factors that significantly predicted chest tube insertion were endotracheal intubation (p = 0.01), non-United Arab Emirates nationality (p = 0.01) and pneumothorax volume (p = 0.03). The receiver operating characteristic curve showed that the best pneumothorax volume that predicted chest tube insertion was 30 mL. Chest tube was inserted in less than half of the patients with blunt trauma for whom pneumothorax was detected on CT. Pneumothorax volume should be considered in decision-making regarding chest tube insertion. Conservative treatment may be sufficient for pneumothorax of volume < 30 mL. Copyright: © Singapore Medical Association.

  14. Management of duodenal trauma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    CHEN Guo-qing

    2011-02-01

    Full Text Available 【Abstract】Duodenal trauma is uncommon but nowadays seen more and more frequently due to the increased automobile accidents and violent events. The management of duodenal trauma can be complicated, especially when massive injury to the pancreatic-duodenal-biliary complex occurs simultaneously. Even the patients receive surgeries in time, multiple postoperative complications and high mortality are common. To know and manage duodenal trauma better, we searched the recent related literature in PubMed by the keywords of duodenal trauma, therapy, diagnosis and abdomen. It shows that because the diagnosis and management are complicated and the mortality is high, duodenal trauma should be treated in time and tactfully. And application of new technology can help improve the management. In this review, we discussed the incidence, diagnosis, management, and complications as well as mortality of duodenal trauma. Key words: Duodenum; Wounds and injuries; Diagnosis; Therapeutics

  15. Diagnostic modalities x-ray and CT chest differ in the management of thoracic injury

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    D Chapagain

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available Objective: To observe difference in the management of blunt trauma to the chest on the basis of conventional xray and computerised tomography of the chest. Methods: This prospective study was conducted between December 2011 to October 2012 in COMS in Bharatpur,a tertiary referral centre in central Nepal . Clinically stable thoracic injury patients were first evaluated with chest x-ray and the management on this basis was recorded. The findings of the CT chest were assessed and the type of management on the basis of CT was also recorded. Outcome was assessed in terms of mortality, morbidity, hospital and ICU stay with respect to the management on the basis of chest x-ray and CT scan. Results: Of the 129 patients, 74.4% were male and 25.6% were female with the patients ranging in age from 7 to 87 years (mean = 40.41 years. The most common mechanism of trauma to the chest was as a result of a motor vehicle accident (69.8%, followed by fall injury (20.2%. X-ray chest diagnosed rib fracture in 62%, haemothorax in 37%, pneumothorax in 27%, lung contusion in 10% and haemopneumothorax in 21% patients. Similarly CT chest diagnosed rib fracture in 86%, haemothorax in 54%, pneumothorax in 36%, lung contusion in 30% and haemopneumothorax in 30% patients. Mean hospital stay was 9.5 days in the group of patients having management on the basis of x-ray chest relative to mean stay of 10.2 days in the CT- chest group. In the management on the basis of xray group, there was a mean ICU stay of 2.8days compared to mean stays of 3.2 days in CT chest group. Conclusion: Though CT scan of the chest is more informative and differs the management of the blunt chest trauma, one should not forget to advise the cost effective, easily available and initial guiding agent, xray chest for early management of the chest injury patient. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/jcmsn.v10i1.12764 Journal of College of Medical Sciences-Nepal, 2014, Vol.10(1; 22-31

  16. Early appearance of SARS on chest CT scan

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cheng Xiaoguang; Feng Suchen; Xia Guoguang; Zhao Tao; Gu Xiang; Qu Hui

    2003-01-01

    Objective: To evaluate the early appearance of SARS on chest CT scan and its role in the early diagnosis. Methods: Forty cases of SARS in keeping with the criteria of the Ministry of Health had chest CT scans within 7 days of onset of symptoms, and CR chest X-ray films were available as well. These chest X-rays and CT images were retrospectively reviewed to determine if there were any abnormalities on the images. The lesions on the chest CT images were then further analyzed in terms of the number, location, size, and density. Results: Positive abnormalities on chest CT scans were revealed in all 40 SARS cases. Positive findings on CR chest films were showed in only 25 cases, equivocal in 6, and normal in 9 cases. The main abnormalities seen on CT and X-rays were pulmonary infiltrations varied markedly in severity. 70 % cases had 1 or 2 lesions on chest CT scan, 30 % cases had 3 or more lesions. The lesions seen on chest CT scan tended to be ground-glass opacification, sometimes with consolidation which was very faint and inhomogeneous, easily missed on chest X-rays. Typically the lesions were located in the periphery of the lung, or both central and peripheral lung, but very rare in a pure central location. They were commonly in the shape of patch or ball. Conclusions: Chest CT scan is much more sensitive in detecting the lesions of the lung in SARS. The early appearance of SARS on chest CT scan is characteristic but non-specific, indicating that chest CT scan plays a very important role in the early diagnosis and differential diagnosis of SARS

  17. Computer-assisted diagnosis: applications in chest and breast X-ray

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Garcia, P.; Souto, M.; Correa, J.; Carrascal, F.; Mendez, A.; Martin Carreira, J.; Lado, J.M.; Vidal, J.J.

    1996-01-01

    Progress in the area of computers during the last years has focussed attention on its potential benefits as applied to computer aided diagnosis (CAD) in radiology. these CAD systems are being dedicated mainly to chest and breast radiology. Different schemes have been under investigation at our laboratory. Both automatic discrimination between normal and abnormal interstitial patterns by fractal dimension analysis and measurement of total lung capacity (TLC) have shown encouraging results (r=0.967, p<0.001). Automatic classification of mammograms in patterns with different risk to develop breast carcinoma and computer detection of breast masses with a sensitivity of 65% for a total number of 2.6 false positives per image suggest that CAD is a realistic goal in selected areas. (Author) 42 refs

  18. Computed tomography whole body imaging in multi-trauma: 7 years experience

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sampson, M.A. [Southampton General Hospital, Southampton (United Kingdom)]. E-mail: msampson@doctors.org.uk; Colquhoun, K.B.M. [Southampton General Hospital, Southampton (United Kingdom); Hennessy, N.L.M. [Southampton General Hospital, Southampton (United Kingdom)

    2006-04-15

    AIM: To assess the impact of the introduction of a computed tomography (CT) imaging protocol for multi-trauma patients on the workload, overall diagnostic yield, and effect on detection of cervical spine injury and pneumothorax. METHOD: Between February 1997 and April 2004, all patients presenting acutely to the Emergency Department (ED) with haemodynamically stable trauma (Abbreviated Injury Scale 3 or more) involving more than two body systems were imaged with a comprehensive pre-set helical CT protocol (including non-contrast head, cervical spine: cranio-cervical and cervico-thoracic junctions; and oral and intravenous contrast-enhanced thoracic, abdomen and pelvis) after initial triage and a standard trauma series of radiographs (chest, lateral C-spine and pelvis). Diagnosis of cervical spine fracture and pneumothorax was noted before and after the CT protocol was carried out and findings from all studies were recorded prospectively. RESULTS: Over the 7-year period 296 multi-trauma CT studies were completed of which 41 (13.8%) were negative. Of the positive cases there were 127 (43%) head injuries; 25 cervical spine fractures (8%); 66 pelvic fractures (22%);48 thoracic or lumbar spine fractures (16%); 97 pneumothoraces (33%); 22 mediastinal injuries (7%) and 49 intra-abdominal injuries (17%) with 19 (6%) splenic tears/ruptures. Positive findings included many unsuspected injuries, including 19 cervical spine fractures which were not demonstrated on the standard lateral radiograph from the resuscitation room. Of the 97 CT detected pneumothoraces, 12 were bilateral, 52 already had a chest drain in situ and 36 were not detected on initial supine chest radiography in the resuscitation room. One undetected case had bilateral tension pneumothoraces that were promptly drained on the CT table. Only three patients did not complete their multi-trauma examination because of deterioration in clinical condition and these were all immediately returned to the resuscitation

  19. Computed tomography whole body imaging in multi-trauma: 7 years experience

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sampson, M.A.; Colquhoun, K.B.M.; Hennessy, N.L.M.

    2006-01-01

    AIM: To assess the impact of the introduction of a computed tomography (CT) imaging protocol for multi-trauma patients on the workload, overall diagnostic yield, and effect on detection of cervical spine injury and pneumothorax. METHOD: Between February 1997 and April 2004, all patients presenting acutely to the Emergency Department (ED) with haemodynamically stable trauma (Abbreviated Injury Scale 3 or more) involving more than two body systems were imaged with a comprehensive pre-set helical CT protocol (including non-contrast head, cervical spine: cranio-cervical and cervico-thoracic junctions; and oral and intravenous contrast-enhanced thoracic, abdomen and pelvis) after initial triage and a standard trauma series of radiographs (chest, lateral C-spine and pelvis). Diagnosis of cervical spine fracture and pneumothorax was noted before and after the CT protocol was carried out and findings from all studies were recorded prospectively. RESULTS: Over the 7-year period 296 multi-trauma CT studies were completed of which 41 (13.8%) were negative. Of the positive cases there were 127 (43%) head injuries; 25 cervical spine fractures (8%); 66 pelvic fractures (22%);48 thoracic or lumbar spine fractures (16%); 97 pneumothoraces (33%); 22 mediastinal injuries (7%) and 49 intra-abdominal injuries (17%) with 19 (6%) splenic tears/ruptures. Positive findings included many unsuspected injuries, including 19 cervical spine fractures which were not demonstrated on the standard lateral radiograph from the resuscitation room. Of the 97 CT detected pneumothoraces, 12 were bilateral, 52 already had a chest drain in situ and 36 were not detected on initial supine chest radiography in the resuscitation room. One undetected case had bilateral tension pneumothoraces that were promptly drained on the CT table. Only three patients did not complete their multi-trauma examination because of deterioration in clinical condition and these were all immediately returned to the resuscitation

  20. Diaphragmatic rupture with right colon and small intestine herniation after blunt trauma: a case report

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Muroni Mirko

    2010-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Introduction Traumatic diaphragmatic hernias are an unusual presentation of trauma, and are observed in about 10% of diaphragmatic injuries. The diagnosis is often missed because of non-specific clinical signs, and the absence of additional intra-abdominal and thoracic injuries. Case presentation We report a case of a 59-year-old Italian man hospitalized for abdominal pain and vomiting. His medical history included a blunt trauma seven years previously. A chest X-ray showed right diaphragm elevation, and computed tomography revealed that the greater omentum, a portion of the colon and the small intestine had been transposed in the hemithorax through a diaphragm rupture. The patient underwent laparotomy, at which time the colon and small intestine were reduced back into the abdomen and the diaphragm was repaired. Conclusions This was a unusual case of traumatic right-sided diaphragmatic hernia. Diaphragmatic ruptures may be revealed many years after the initial trauma. The suspicion of diaphragmatic rupture in a patient with multiple traumas contributes to early diagnosis. Surgical repair remains the only curative treatment for diaphragmatic hernias. Prosthetic patches may be a good solution when the diaphragmatic defect is severe and too large for primary closure, whereas primary repair remains the gold standard for the closure of small to moderate sized diaphragmatic defects.

  1. Endobronchial Tuberculosis and Chest Radiography

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohammad Reza Sasani

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Endobronchial tuberculosis and chest radiography I read, with interest, the article entitled “Clinical and Para-clinical Presentations of Endobronchial Tuberculosis” by Ahmadi Hoseini H. S. et al. (1 published in this journal. I would like to focus on some details about the chest X-ray of patients as elaborated by the authors in the results section. Accordingly, the findings of chest radiography in the available patients were as follows: pulmonary consolidation (75%, reduced pulmonary volume (20%, and hilar adenopathy (10%. This is an incomplete statement because the authors did not explain whether there was any normal chest radiography in the study population. In addition, it is not clear whether the X-ray examinations of the patients were normal, how many abnormal plain films yielded the presented data. On the other hand, the fact that the studied patients had no normal chest radiography is  controversial since in the literature, 10-20% of the patients with endobronchial tuberculosis are reported to have normal chest X-ray (2, 3. In fact, this is one of the problems in the diagnosis of the disease, as well as a potential cause of delayed diagnosis and treatment of the patients. Therefore, the absence of normal chest radiographs is in contrast to the available literature, and if not an error, it could be a subject of further investigation.

  2. CT detection of occult pneumothorax in head trauma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tocino, I.M.; Miller, M.H.; Frederick, P.R.; Bahr, A.L.; Thomas, F.

    1984-01-01

    A prospective evaluation for occult pneumothorax was performed in 25 consecutive patients with serious head trauma by combining a limited chest CT examination with the emergency head CT examination. Of 21 pneuomothoraces present in 15 patients, 11 (52%) were found only by chest CT and were not identified clinically or by supine chest radiograph. Because of pending therapeutic measures, chest tubes were placed in nine of the 11 occult pneumothoraces, regardless of the volume. Chest CT proved itself as the most sensitive method for detection of occult pneumothorax, permitting early chest tube placement to prevent transition to a tension pneumothorax during subsequent mechanical ventilation or emergency surgery under general anesthesia

  3. CT detection of occult pneumothorax in head trauma

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tocino, I.M.; Miller, M.H.; Frederick, P.R.; Bahr, A.L.; Thomas, F.

    1984-11-01

    A prospective evaluation for occult pneumothorax was performed in 25 consecutive patients with serious head trauma by combining a limited chest CT examination with the emergency head CT examination. Of 21 pneuomothoraces present in 15 patients, 11 (52%) were found only by chest CT and were not identified clinically or by supine chest radiograph. Because of pending therapeutic measures, chest tubes were placed in nine of the 11 occult pneumothoraces, regardless of the volume. Chest CT proved itself as the most sensitive method for detection of occult pneumothorax, permitting early chest tube placement to prevent transition to a tension pneumothorax during subsequent mechanical ventilation or emergency surgery under general anesthesia.

  4. Contemporary management of flail chest.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vana, P Geoff; Neubauer, Daniel C; Luchette, Fred A

    2014-06-01

    Thoracic injury is currently the second leading cause of trauma-related death and rib fractures are the most common of these injuries. Flail chest, as defined by fracture of three or more ribs in two or more places, continues to be a clinically challenging problem. The underlying pulmonary contusion with subsequent inflammatory reaction and right-to-left shunting leading to hypoxia continues to result in high mortality for these patients. Surgical stabilization of the fractured ribs remains controversial. We review the history of management for flail chest alone and when combined with pulmonary contusion. Finally, we propose an algorithm for nonoperative and surgical management.

  5. EVALUATION OF THORACOSCOPY IN THE DIAGNOSIS OF DIAPHRAGMATIC INJURIES IN PENETRATING THORACOABDOMINAL TRAUMA WITHOUT LUNG DEFLATION AT DR GEORGE MUKHARI ACADEMIC HOSPITAL.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nsakala, L

    2017-06-01

    With a mortality estimated at 25% when missed, diaphragmatic injuries due to penetrating thoracoabdominal trauma present a diagnostic challenge for both the radiologist and the surgeon. In the current literature, chest x-ray has a sensitivity of 27-60% for left-sided injuries and only 17% for right-sided injuries while, CT scan has a sensitivity of 14-61% and a specificity of 76-99%. Thoracoscopy using a single lung ventilation is one of the modalities of choice for the diagnosis of these injuries with a specificity of 100% and a sensitivity of 87.5%. This was a prospective study; all stable trauma patients with penetrating thoracoabdominal injury aged 18 years and above admitted to the trauma unit at Dr George Mukhari Academic Hospital during the period of the study were included. All patients with penetrating thoracoabdominal trauma who were unstable, or necessitating prompt management and all paediatric patients were excluded from the study. In theatre, under general anaesthesia, we first performed thoracoscopy without single lung ventilation followed by laparoscopy as control on each patient. Data was collected using a standard proforma by the attending surgeon and was analysed by a statistician using IBM SPSS 22 software. A total of 32 patients met the inclusion criteria of which 4 were female (12.5%) and 28 male (87.5%) with the median age of 29 years. Of the 32 patients, 27 had thoracoabdominal stab wounds (84.3%) and 5 had gunshot wounds (15.6%). Fourteen patients (43.75%) had left sided injury and 18 patients (56.25%) had injury to the right side. The incidence of diaphragmatic injury was 37.5% (n = 12). No injuries were missed on thoracoscopy; there was no mortality or morbidity. Thoracoscopy without single lung ventilation is safe and comparable to thoracoscopy with single lung ventilation as a diagnostic tool for diaphragmatic injuries in stable patients with penetrating thoracoabdominal trauma.

  6. Chest sonography. 2. ed.

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mathis, Gebhard (ed.)

    2008-07-01

    Chest sonography is an established procedure in the stepwise imaging diagnosis of pulmonary and pleural disease. It is the method of choice to distinguish between solid and liquid lesions and allows the investigator to make an unequivocal diagnosis without exposing the patient to costly and stressful procedures. This book presents the state of the art in chest investigation by means of ultrasonography. A number of excellent illustrations and the compact text provide concise and easy-to-assimilate information about the diagnostic procedure. Basic elements such as indications, investigation techniques and image artifacts are detailed in separate chapters. (orig.)

  7. Chest sonography. 2. ed.

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mathis, Gebhard

    2008-01-01

    Chest sonography is an established procedure in the stepwise imaging diagnosis of pulmonary and pleural disease. It is the method of choice to distinguish between solid and liquid lesions and allows the investigator to make an unequivocal diagnosis without exposing the patient to costly and stressful procedures. This book presents the state of the art in chest investigation by means of ultrasonography. A number of excellent illustrations and the compact text provide concise and easy-to-assimilate information about the diagnostic procedure. Basic elements such as indications, investigation techniques and image artifacts are detailed in separate chapters. (orig.)

  8. Penetrating chest injury: A miraculous life salvage

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Santosh B Dalavi

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available An unusual penetrating chest injury was caused by high velocity road traffic accident. An 18-year-old had a four wheeler accident and was brought in emergency department with a ′bamboo′ stick on the left side chest exiting through back. After the stabilization of vital parameters, an inter-costal tube drainage was done on the left side. Except the minor brochopleural fistula which healed by 10 th day, his recovery was uneventful. The outcome was consistent with current aggressive management of penetrating chest injuries. Management of penetrating chest injury involving pulmonary trauma is based on three principles. One is stabilization of hemodynamics of patient with proper clinical evaluation. Second, a mere intercostal tube drainage sufficient for majority of the cases. Third, post-operative active as well as passive physiotherapy is necessary for speedy recovery.

  9. Application of triple rule-out with 64-slice spiral CT in the diagnosis of acute chest pain

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li Pengyu; Li Kuncheng; Du Xiangyin; Cao Lizhen; Liu Jiabin; Yang Yanhuui; Liang Zhigang; Zhu Xiaolian; Liu Jian

    2007-01-01

    Objective: To investigate the performance of triple rule-out with 64-slice spiral CT in the combined examination of pulmonary artery, thoracic aorta and coronary artery for patients with acute chest pain. Methods: Seventy patients who presented with acute chest pain were included in the study. All of the patients underwent retrospective ECG-gated 64-slice computed tomography triple rule-out examination to evaluate the pulmonary arteries, thoracic aorta and coronary arteries. Multi-planar reconstruction (MPR), maximum intensity projection (MIP), curved-planar reconstruction (CPR) and volume rendering (VR) were used to display pulmonary arteries, thoracic aorta and coronary arteries. We evaluated the image quality of coronary artery and the enhancement of the pulmonary artery and thoracic aorta to estimate if the examination can fulfill the clinical demand for the differential diagnosis of acute chest pain. Results: The mean scan time was (8.5±1.0) s, and the dose of contrast medium injected was 100 ml. There were 95.7% (67/70) of patients whose CT values detected in the pulmonary artery and thoracic aorta after enhancement Were ≥200 HU. The image quality of 85.8% (720/839) coronary segments was classified as excellent, 8.6% (72/839) as good, and 5.6% (47/839) as poor. There were 20 eases with coronary stenoses ≥50%, 2 cases with pulmonary embolism, and 2 cases with aortic dissection. Conclusion: The triple rule-out examination with 64-slice spiral CT could depict pulmonary artery, thoracic aorta, and coronary artery in 8 s with good image quality. It has great potential in the etiological diagnosis for the patients with acute chest pain. (authors)

  10. Laryngeal fracture due to blunt trauma presenting with pneumothorax and pneumomediastinum.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Narcı, Adnan; Embleton, Didem Baskın; Ayçiçek, Abdullah; Yücedağ, Fatih; Cetinkurşun, Salih

    2011-01-01

    Injuries due to traffic accidents are frequent in childhood, and they have high mortality and morbidity. Laryngeal injury due to a traffic accident is a rare pathology and might be missed if not suspected. Here we present a laryngeal fracture in a child after a blunt chest trauma during a traffic accident that presented with pneumomediastinum and pneumothorax. A 14-year-old girl was referred for pneumomediastinum. Her physical examination was normal except subcutaneous emphysema, edema and tenderness in the cervical area, hoarseness, facial and extremity abrasions and ecchymoses. Chest tomography revealed pneumothorax and pneumomediastinum, and cranial tomography revealed maxillofacial fractures. Upper airway damage was suspected, flexible endoscopy revealed right vocal cord paralysis and cervical tomography revealed thyroid cartilage fracture. The fracture was repaired and tracheotomy was performed. She was discharged on postoperative day 6. Facial fractures were repaired in another center. Tracheotomy was removed on postoperative day 20. Her hoarseness, although decreased, still persists. Pneumomediastinum is a rare result of a laryngeal fracture and if not suspected, the fracture can easily be missed. It should be kept in mind after blunt cervical trauma with pneumomediastinum and/or pneumothorax. Direct endoscopy and cervical tomography may be necessary for the differential diagnosis. Copyright © 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  11. MINIMALLY INVASIVE TECHNIQUES IN THE INTEGRATED TREATMENT OF THOSE SUFFERING FROM SEVERE CONCURRENT INJURY WITH DOMINATING CHEST TRAUMA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    E. A. Tseymakh

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Treatment outcomes of 226 patients have been analyzed. Treatment and diagnostic algorithm has been developed for the management of patients with severe concurrent injury and dominating chest trauma. The indications for the following interventions have been formulated: emergency thoracotomy, emergency and urgent video-assisted thoracoscopy, local fibrinolytic therapy in case of clotted hemothorax and post-traumatic pleural empyema, valve bronchial block in tension and continuously persistent pneumothorax, osteosynthesis of fragmentary costal fractures. Using minimally invasive treatment techniques allowed decreasing the number of surgeries in the patients and increasing the number of recovered patients when discharged from the hospital.

  12. Diagnosis of secondary pulmonary lymphangiectasia in congenital heart disease: a novel role for chest ultrasound and prognostic implications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lam, Christopher Z; Bhamare, Tanmay Anant; Gazzaz, Tamadhir; Manson, David; Humpl, Tilman; Seed, Mike

    2017-10-01

    Secondary pulmonary lymphangiectasia is a complication of congenital heart disease that results from chronic pulmonary venous obstruction. We aimed to evaluate the performance of chest ultrasound (US) in diagnosing secondary pulmonary lymphangiectasia and to review the clinical course of children with secondary pulmonary lymphangiectasia. Chest US was performed on 26 children with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, total anomalous pulmonary venous connection or cor triatriatum in a prospective observational study. Thirteen children had pulmonary venous obstruction (62% male; median age: 17 days old, range: 1-430 days old) and 13 children did not have obstruction (62% male; median age: 72 days old, range: 4-333 days old). US features of secondary pulmonary lymphangiectasia were documented and diagnostic performance was determined. Clinical course of patients with secondary pulmonary lymphangiectasia was reviewed. Eleven of 13 (84.6%) patients in the obstructed group had a clinical and/or biopsy diagnosis of secondary pulmonary lymphangiectasia. Statistically significant chest US criteria for diagnosis were presence of irregular lung surface (likelihood ratio [LR] 6.8, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.9-25.1), subpleural cystic appearing structures (LR 3.6, 95% CI 1.2-10.7), and combination of subpleural cystic appearing structures and surface irregularity together (LR 10.9, 95% CI 1.6-75.0). Seven of 11 (63.6%) patients with secondary pulmonary lymphangiectasia died during follow-up, the majority due to cardiopulmonary failure or complications. Chest US is an accurate and reproducible bedside method for diagnosing secondary pulmonary lymphangiectasia in patients with pulmonary venous obstruction. These patients may have worse prognoses.

  13. An audit of the complications of intercostal chest drain insertion in a high volume trauma service in South Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kong, V Y; Oosthuizen, G V; Sartorius, B; Keene, C; Clarke, D L

    2014-11-01

    Intercostal chest drain (ICD) insertion is a commonly performed procedure in trauma and may be associated with significant morbidity. This was a retrospective review of ICD complications in a major trauma service in South Africa over a four-year period from January 2010 to December 2013. A total of 1,050 ICDs were inserted in 1,006 patients, of which 91% were male. The median patient age was 24 years (interquartile range [IQR]: 20-29 years). There were 962 patients with unilateral ICDs and 44 with bilateral ICDs. Seventy-five per cent (758/1,006) sustained penetrating trauma and the remaining 25% (248/1006) sustained blunt trauma. Indications for ICD insertion were: haemopneumothorax (n=338), haemothorax (n=314), simple pneumothorax (n=265), tension pneumothorax (n=79) and open pneumothorax (n=54). Overall, 203 ICDs (19%) were associated with complications: 18% (36/203) were kinked, 18% (36/203) were inserted subcutaneously, 13% (27/203) were too shallow and in 7% (14/203) there was inadequate fixation resulting in dislodgement. Four patients (2%) sustained visceral injuries and two sustained vascular injuries. Forty-one per cent (83/203) were inserted outside the 'triangle of safety' but without visceral or vascular injuries. One patient had the ICD inserted on the wrong side. Junior doctors inserted 798 ICDs (76%) while senior doctors inserted 252 (24%). Junior doctors had a significantly higher complication rate (24%) compared with senior doctors (5%) (p Conclusions ICD insertion is associated with a high rate of complications. These complications are significantly higher when junior doctors perform the procedure. A multifaceted quality improvement programme is needed to improve the situation.

  14. Nutrition management of a trauma patient with pneumatosis ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Roberts K, BScDiet, Postgrad Dip Diet. Dietitian ... Keywords: developed pneumatosis intestinalis, trauma patient ... presented with blunt abdominal and chest trauma, a head injury and ... and the goal rate of 93 ml/hour was reached, providing 18% protein, .... result from the side-effects of medication, most commonly from.

  15. Usefulness of multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) for the initial evaluation of multiple blunt trauma of the trunk

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hagiwara, Shuichi; Ogino, Takashi; Isaka, Akira; Takahashi, Yuga; Nameki, Tarou; Kagoshima, Kaie; Yamada, Takurou; Ishihara, Kouichi; Iino, Yuichi

    2008-01-01

    Focused assessment with sonography for trauma (FAST) is useful for detecting hemoperitoneum (HE) in trauma patients in the emergency room (ER), but, patients' condition cannot be evaluated adequately by FAST alone. CT is useful for the diagnosis of multiple trauma, but has certain drawbacks. We evaluated the utility of multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) as the initial tool for proper diagnosis and treatment planning of multiple trauma patients. We retrospectively analyzed 128 cases treated in ER of Gunma University Hospital between April 1, 2005 and December 31, 2006, and they were hospital patients were hospitalized with blunt multiple trauma. We analyzed the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of FAST, compiled MDCT finding, lifesaving treatment, and outcome. Eight patients were FAST positive, and 7 of the 8 were scanned by MDCT. There were 120 patients were FAST negative patients, 23 of the 120 were MDCT-negative, despite visceral injury, however 9 of the 120 had visceral injury by MDCT findings. Damage control surgery without MDCT was performed in one case, but the patient died after surgery. Six of the patients in the HE-positive group had really HE. One of the 6 died while a waiting surgery, transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) was performed in three patients, and one person out of the 3 died. The course of the remaining 2 patients was monitored, and they are alive. A patient in the HE-negative group with bladder rupture required surgery. There were 120 patients in the FAST-negative group. One of the 6 patients in the HE-positive subgroup died while a waiting surgery. One patient required chest and pericardial drainage. TAE was performed in 2 patients, and the remaining 6 were monitored and are alive. There were 23 FAST-negative patients patients who had visceral injury. Five of them required chest drainage, one received TAE, 17 were monitored, and all of the 23 are alive. There were 14 cases of pelvic fracture alone, and all of them were FAST

  16. CT diagnosis of intraperitoneal bladder rupture with blunt abdominal trauma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kong Fanbin

    2000-01-01

    Objective: To evaluate CT examination in the diagnosis of intraperitoneal bladder rupture (IPBR) caused by blunt abdominal trauma. Methods: All CT and clinical data of 9 patients with IPBR were reviewed retrospectively. Results: IPBR was detected on CT scans in all 9 patients. CT findings of IPBR included low -attenuation free intraperitoneal fluid collections in the lateral paravesical fossae, the pericolic space, the culde-sac of the pelvis, Morison's pouch, the peri-hepatic space, the perisplenic space and interspace of bowel loops in 9 cases with a lower CT density compared with pure blood. The disruption of the bladder wall was located by CT scan in 5 cases: high-attenuation bladder wall with focal defect in 3 cases and a tear drop-like deformity of the bladder in 2 cases. Other CT findings supporting the diagnosis of IPBR included an underfilled bladder in 8 cases, bladder contusion in 4 cases, and blood clots within the bladder in 6 cases. Conclusion: The presence of intraperitoneal fluid with a CT density less than that of pure blood strongly suggests extravasated urine in the trauma. Intraperitoneal and extraperitoneal rupture can be distinguished based on location of extravasated urine seen on CT scans. The precise localization of the ruptured bladder wall may be demonstrated by CT scan, which is valuable for surgical treatment

  17. CT diagnosis of traumatic bronchial rupture in children

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Epelman, Monica; Ofer, Amos; Guralnik, Ludmila; Klein, Yoram; Best, Leal H.; Bentur, Lea; Traubici, Jeffrey

    2002-01-01

    Bronchial rupture is a rare and serious complication of blunt chest trauma in children. The diagnosis of this injury is challenging and requires a high degree of clinical suspicion. It is frequently associated with other severe injuries that may draw the focus of attention away from this potentially catastrophic but treatable injury. The radiographic findings of bronchial rupture have been reported in very few series. We report the findings in two children with bronchial rupture diagnosed by CT, in whom CT resulted in a significant change in patient management. (orig.)

  18. Pneumothorax and subcutaneous emphysema secondary to blunt chest injury

    OpenAIRE

    Porhomayon, Jahan; Doerr, Ralph

    2011-01-01

    This is the case of a patient with a history of blunt chest trauma associated with subcutaneous emphysema and pneumothorax. The patient complained of inspiratory stridor on presentation. Anatomical relationships can explain the pathophysiological process.

  19. Thoracic trauma: presentation and management outcome

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Saaiq, M.; Shah, S. A.

    2008-01-01

    To determine the presentation and management outcome of thoracic trauma in a tertiary care setting. A total of 143 patients, who presented with chest trauma, were included in the study. All the patients were assessed by the history, physical examination and ancillary investigations. Appropriate managements were instituted as required. Data was described in percentages. out of 143 patients, 119 (83)% were males and 24 (17)% were females. Most of the patients belonged to the age group of 21-50 years. Ninety seven (66)% patients were admitted for indoor management. Blunt injury was found in 125 (87.4%) patients, while penetrating injuries in only 18 (12.6%) patients. Road Traffic Accidents (RTAs) were the commonest cause of trauma (n=103, 72%). Rib fracture was the commonest chest injury (74% patients). Head injury was the most frequently associated injury (18% of the patients). Tube thoracostomy was the commonest intervention undertaken in 65 (45%) patients. Seventeen (11.88%) patients were managed with mechanical ventilation. there were 17 deaths with a mortality rate of 11.88%. Thoracic trauma is an important cause of hospitalization, morbidity and mortality in the younger population. RTAs constitute the leading cause of thoracic trauma in our setup. Tube thoracostomy is the most frequent and at times the only invasive procedure required as a definitive measure in thoracic trauma patients. A policy of selective hospitalization helps to avoid unnecessary hospital admissions. (author)

  20. Roentgenologic findings of non-penetrating extracardiac chest injuries

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, Jong Duck; Ra, Woo Youn [Presbyterian Medical Center, Jeonju (Korea, Republic of)

    1975-06-15

    Of the conventional P-A and A-P chest films which have been studied, many roentgenologic signs suggested for chest trauma. In the present study, an effort was designated to further clarify the x-ray findings of the nonpenetrating extracardiac chest injuries and to observe the x-ray findings being a leading maneuver of surgical procedure. Fat embolism and shock lung must be kept in mind on follow up films. The results thus obtained are summarized as follows; 1. Most of cases are visualized between the age of 10 and 50 and more common in male. 2. The denoting rib fracture, hemopneumothorax, and lung contusion are direct roentgenologic signs. 3. In case of serious result which showed pulmonary edema pattern on conventional chest films, we thought fat embolism or shock lung to be the cause of death.

  1. Prevalence and Diagnostic Performance of Isolated and Combined NEXUS Chest CT Decision Criteria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Raja, Ali S; Mower, William R; Nishijima, Daniel K; Hendey, Gregory W; Baumann, Brigitte M; Medak, Anthony J; Rodriguez, Robert M

    2016-08-01

    The use of chest computed tomography (CT) to evaluate emergency department patients with adult blunt trauma is rising. The NEXUS Chest CT decision instruments are highly sensitive identifiers of adult blunt trauma patients with thoracic injuries. However, many patients without injury exhibit one of more of the criteria so cannot be classified "low risk." We sought to determine screening performance of both individual and combined NEXUS Chest CT criteria as predictors of thoracic injury to inform chest CT imaging decisions in "non-low-risk" patients. This was a secondary analysis of data on patients in the derivation and validation cohorts of the prospective, observational NEXUS Chest CT study, performed September 2011 to May 2014 in 11 Level I trauma centers. Institutional review board approval was obtained at all study sites. Adult blunt trauma patients receiving chest CT were included. The primary outcome was injury and major clinical injury prevalence and screening performance in patients with combinations of one, two, or three of seven individual NEXUS Chest CT criteria. Across the 11 study sites, rates of chest CT performance ranged from 15.5% to 77.2% (median = 43.6%). We found injuries in 1,493/5,169 patients (28.9%) who had chest CT; 269 patients (5.2%) had major clinical injury (e.g., pneumothorax requiring chest tube). With sensitivity of 73.7 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 68.1 to 78.6) and specificity of 83.9 (95% CI = 83.6 to 84.2) for major clinical injury, abnormal chest-x-ray (CXR) was the single most important screening criterion. When patients had only abnormal CXR, injury and major clinical injury prevalences were 60.7% (95% CI = 52.2% to 68.6%) and 12.9% (95% CI = 8.3% to 19.4%), respectively. Injury and major clinical injury prevalences when any other single criterion alone (other than abnormal CXR) was present were 16.8% (95% CI = 15.2% to 18.6%) and 1.1% (95% CI = 0.1% to 1.8%), respectively. Injury and major clinical injury prevalences

  2. Clinical utility of coronary CT angiography with low-dose chest CT in the evaluation of patients with atypical chest pain: a preliminary report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lim, Soo Jin; Choo, Ki Seok; Kim, Chang Won

    2008-01-01

    To determine the clinical utility of coronary CT angiography (CCTA) with low-dose chest CT in the evaluation of patients with atypical chest pain. Ninety-six patients (mean age 60.2 years; age range, 41-68 years; 70 males) were referred for CCTA with low-dose chest CT (16-slice MDCT, Siemens) for an evaluation of atypical chest pain. When significant stenoses (lumen diameter reduction > 50%) were detected on CCTA, invasive coronary angiography (CA) was performed as the standard of reference. In all patients, medical chart review or telephone contact with patients was used to evaluate the contribution of CCTA with low-dose chest CT to the final clinical diagnosis, at least 6 months after performing CCTA. Among 96 patients, seven patients (7%) had significant stenoses as detected on CCTA, whereas two patients (2%) had significant stenoses and five patients had insignificant stenoses or no stenosis, as detected on conventional catheter angiography. In 18 (19%) of the 89 patients without significant stenosis detected on CCTA, this protocol provided additional information that suggested or confirmed an alternate clinical diagnosis. In patients with atypical chest pain, CCTA with low-dose chest CT could help to exclude ischemic heart disease and could provide important ancillary information for the final diagnosis

  3. Spontaneous obliteration of right ventricular pseudoaneurysm after blunt chest trauma: Diagnosis and follow-up with multidetector CT

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kang, Tae Kyung; Kang, Mi Jin; Kim, Jae Hyung [Sanggye Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

    2014-06-15

    Right ventricular (RV) pseudoaneurysm caused by trauma is very rare. We report a case of RV pseudoaneurysm which resolved without surgical treatment in a patient who survived a falling accident. Echocardiography failed to identify the pseudoaneurysm. Electrocardiography-gated CT showed a 17-mm-sized saccular pseusoaneurysm arsing from the RV outflow tract with a narrow neck. Follow-up CT after two months showed spontaneous obliteration of the lesion.

  4. Chest Low-Dose Computed Tomography for Early Lung Cancer Diagnosis as an Opportunity to Diagnose Vertebral Fractures in HIV-Infected Smokers, an ANRS EP48 HIV CHEST Substudy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thouvenin, Yann; Makinson, Alain; Cournil, Amandine; Eymard-Duvernay, Sabrina; Lentz, Pierre; Delemazure, Anne-Sophie; Corneloup, Olivier; Fabre, Sylvie; Quesnoy, Mylène; Poire, Sylvain; Brillet, Pierre-Yves; Cyteval, Catherine; Reynes, Jacques; Le Moing, Vincent

    2015-07-01

    To estimate the prevalence of vertebral fractures on chest low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) in HIV-infected smokers. Cross-sectional study of vertebral fractures visualized on chest LDCT from a multicenter prospective cohort evaluating feasibility of chest LDCT for early lung cancer diagnosis in HIV-infected subjects. Subjects were included if 40 years or older, had been active smokers within the last 3 years of at least 20 pack-years, and had a CD4 T-lymphocyte nadir cell count 100 cells per microliter. Spinal reconstructed sagittal planes obtained from chest axial native acquisitions were blindly read by a musculoskeletal imaging specialist. Assessment of the fractured vertebra used Genant semiquantitative method. The study end point was the prevalence of at least 1 vertebral fracture. Three hundred ninety-seven subjects were included. Median age was 49.5 years, median smoking history was 30 pack-years, median last CD4 count was 584 cells per microliter, and median CD4 nadir count was 168 cells per microliter; 90% of subjects had a viral load below 50 copies per milliliter. At least 1 fracture was visible in 46 (11.6%) subjects. In multivariate analysis, smoking ≥40 packs-years [OR = 2.5; 95% CI: (1.2 to 5.0)] was associated with an increased risk of vertebral fracture, while HIV viral load <200 copies per milliliter [OR = 0.3; 95% CI: (0.1 to 0.9)] was protective. Prevalence of vertebral fractures on chest LDCT was 11.6% in this high-risk population. Smoking cessation and early introduction of antiretroviral therapy for prevention of vertebral fractures could be beneficial. Chest LDCT is an opportunity to diagnose vertebral fractures.

  5. A new score for the diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome in acute chest pain with non-diagnostic ECG and normal troponin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boubaker, Hamdi; Grissa, Mohamed Habib; Beltaief, Kaouther; Amor, Mohamed Haj; Mdimagh, Zouhaier; Boukhris, Amor; Ben Amor, Mehdi; Dridi, Zohra; Letaief, Mondher; Bouida, Wahid; Boukef, Riadh; Najjar, Fadhel; Nouira, Semir

    2015-10-01

    Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) represents a difficult diagnostic challenge in patients with undifferentiated chest pain. There is a need for a valid clinical score to improve diagnostic accuracy. To compare the performance of a model combining the Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) score and a score describing chest pain (ACS diagnostic score: ACSD score) with that of both scores alone in the diagnosis of ACS in ED patients with chest pain associated with a non-diagnostic ECG and normal troponin. In this observational cohort study, we enrolled 809 patients admitted to a chest pain unit with normal ECG and normal troponin. They were prospectively evaluated in order to calculate TIMI score, chest pain characteristics score and ACSD score. Diagnosis of ACS was the primary outcome and defined on the basis of 2 cardiologists after reviewing the patient medical records and follow-up data. Mortality and major cardiovascular events were followed for 1 month for patients discharged directly from ED. Discriminative power of scores was evaluated by the area under the ROC curve. ACS was confirmed in 90 patients (11.1%). The area under the ROC curve for ACSD score was 0.85 (95% CI 0.80 to 0.90) compared with 0.74 (95% CI 0.67 to 0.81) for TIMI and 0.79 (95% CI 0.74 to 0.84) for chest pain characteristics score. A threshold value of 9 appeared to optimise sensitivity (92%) and negative predictive value (99%) without excessively compromising specificity (62%) and positive predictive value (23%). The ACSD score showed a good discrimination performance and an excellent negative predictive value which allows safely ruling out ACS in ED patients with undifferentiated chest pain. Our findings should be validated in a larger multicentre study. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

  6. Chest X-Ray

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... accurate diagnosis far outweighs any risk. For more information about chest x-rays, visit Radiology Info dot ... Inc. (RSNA). To help ensure current and accurate information, we do not permit copying but encourage linking ...

  7. Chest X-Ray

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... evaluate shortness of breath, persistent cough, fever, chest pain or injury. It may also be useful to ... of ionizing radiation, the benefit of an accurate diagnosis far outweighs any risk. For more information about ...

  8. Chest X-Ray

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... However, it’s important to consider the likelihood of benefit to your health. While a chest x-ray use a tiny dose of ionizing radiation, the benefit of an accurate diagnosis far outweighs any risk. ...

  9. Volume Threshold for Chest Tube Removal: A Randomized ‎Controlled Trial

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sajad Hatami

    2009-07-01

    Full Text Available Background: Despite importance of chest tube insertion in chest trauma, there is no ‎general agreement on the level of daily volume drainage from chest tube. This study ‎was conducted to compare the effectiveness and safety of chest tube removal at the ‎levels of 150 ml/day and 2oo ml/day. Methods: Eligible patients (138 who needed replacement of chest tube (because of ‎trauma or malignancy were randomized into two groups; control (removal of chest tube ‎when drainage reached to 150 ml/day and trial (removal of chest tube at the level of ‎‎200 ml/day. All patients received standard care during hospital admission and a follow-‎up visit after 7days of discharge from hospital. Patients were then compared in terms of ‎major clinical outcomes using chi-squared and t-test. Results: From the total of 138 patients, 70 and 68 patients were randomized to control ‎‎(G150 and trial (G200 group, respectively. Baseline characteristics were comparable ‎between the two groups. Although the trial group had a shorter mean for length of ‎hospital stay (LOS (4.1 compared to 4.8, p=0.04, their differences in drainage time ‎did not reach to the level of statistical significance (p=0.1. Analysis of data showed no ‎statistically significant differences between the rate of radiological reaccumulation, ‎thoracentesis and decrease in pulmonary sounds (auscultatory, one week after ‎discharge from hospital.‎‏ ‏Conclusions: Compared to a daily volume drainage of 150 ml, removal of chest tube ‎when there is 200 ml/day is safe and will even result in a shorter hospital stay. This in ‎turn leads to a lower cost.‎

  10. Prehospital chest tube thoracostomy: effective treatment or additional trauma?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Spanjersberg, W.R.; Bergs, B.; Krijen, P.; Schipper, I.; Ringburg, A.; Steyerberg, E.W.; Edwards, M.J.R.; Schipper, I.B.; Vugt, A.B. van

    2005-01-01

    BACKGROUND: The use of prehospital chest tube thoracostomy (TT) remains controversial because of presumed increased complication risks. This study analyzed infectious complication rates for physician-performed prehospital and emergency department (ED) TT. METHODS: Over a 40-month period, all

  11. Chest pain

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Martinez A, Juan Carlos; Saenz M, Oscar; Martinez M, Camilo; Gonzales A Francisco; Nicolas R, Jose; Vergara V, Erika P; Pereira G, Alberto M

    2010-01-01

    In emergency departments, chest pain is one of the leading motives of consultation. We thus consider it important to review aspects such as its classification, causes, and clinical profiles. Initial assessment should include a full clinical history comprising thorough anamnesis and physical examination. Adequate interpretation of auxiliary tests, ordered in accordance with suspected clinical conditions, should lead to accurate diagnosis. We highlight certain symptoms and clinical signs, ECG and X-ray findings, cardiac bio markers, arterial blood gases, and CT-scanning. Scores of severity and prognosis such as TIMI are assessed. Optimal treatment of the clinical conditions leading to chest pain depends on adequate initial approach and assessment.

  12. Chest X-Ray

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... exams and use a very small dose of ionizing radiation to produce pictures of the inside of the ... chest x-ray use a tiny dose of ionizing radiation, the benefit of an accurate diagnosis far outweighs ...

  13. Accuracy of Lung Ultrasonography versus Chest Radiography for the Diagnosis of Adult Community-Acquired Pneumonia: Review of the Literature and Meta-Analysis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiong Ye

    Full Text Available Lung ultrasonography (LUS is being increasingly utilized in emergency and critical settings. We performed a systematic review of the current literature to compare the accuracy of LUS and chest radiography (CR for the diagnosis of adult community-acquired pneumonia (CAP. We searched in Pub Med, EMBASE dealing with both LUS and CR for diagnosis of adult CAP, and conducted a meta-analysis to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of LUS in comparison with CR. The diagnostic standard that the index test compared was the hospital discharge diagnosis or the result of chest computed tomography scan as a "gold standard". We calculated pooled sensitivity and specificity using the Mantel-Haenszel method and pooled diagnostic odds ratio using the DerSimonian-Laird method. Five articles met our inclusion criteria and were included in the final analysis. Using hospital discharge diagnosis as reference, LUS had a pooled sensitivity of 0.95 (0.93-0.97 and a specificity of 0.90 (0.86 to 0.94, CR had a pooled sensitivity of 0.77 (0.73 to 0.80 and a specificity of 0.91 (0.87 to 0.94. LUS and CR compared with computed tomography scan in 138 patients in total, the Z statistic of the two summary receiver operating characteristic was 3.093 (P = 0.002, the areas under the curve for LUS and CR were 0.901 and 0.590, respectively. Our study indicates that LUS can help to diagnosis adult CAP by clinicians and the accuracy was better compared with CR using chest computed tomography scan as the gold standard.

  14. Improving early diagnosis of pulmonary infections in patients with febrile neutropenia using low-dose chest computed tomography.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M G Gerritsen

    Full Text Available We performed a prospective study in patients with chemotherapy induced febrile neutropenia to investigate the diagnostic value of low-dose computed tomography compared to standard chest radiography. The aim was to compare both modalities for detection of pulmonary infections and to explore performance of low-dose computed tomography for early detection of invasive fungal disease. The low-dose computed tomography remained blinded during the study. A consensus diagnosis of the fever episode made by an expert panel was used as reference standard. We included 67 consecutive patients on the first day of febrile neutropenia. According to the consensus diagnosis 11 patients (16.4% had pulmonary infections. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value were 36%, 93%, 50% and 88% for radiography, and 73%, 91%, 62% and 94% for low-dose computed tomography, respectively. An uncorrected McNemar showed no statistical difference (p = 0.197. Mean radiation dose for low-dose computed tomography was 0.24 mSv. Four out of 5 included patients diagnosed with invasive fungal disease had radiographic abnormalities suspect for invasive fungal disease on the low-dose computed tomography scan made on day 1 of fever, compared to none of the chest radiographs. We conclude that chest radiography has little value in the initial assessment of febrile neutropenia on day 1 for detection of pulmonary abnormalities. Low-dose computed tomography improves detection of pulmonary infiltrates and seems capable of detecting invasive fungal disease at a very early stage with a low radiation dose.

  15. Improving early diagnosis of pulmonary infections in patients with febrile neutropenia using low-dose chest computed tomography.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gerritsen, M G; Willemink, M J; Pompe, E; van der Bruggen, T; van Rhenen, A; Lammers, J W J; Wessels, F; Sprengers, R W; de Jong, P A; Minnema, M C

    2017-01-01

    We performed a prospective study in patients with chemotherapy induced febrile neutropenia to investigate the diagnostic value of low-dose computed tomography compared to standard chest radiography. The aim was to compare both modalities for detection of pulmonary infections and to explore performance of low-dose computed tomography for early detection of invasive fungal disease. The low-dose computed tomography remained blinded during the study. A consensus diagnosis of the fever episode made by an expert panel was used as reference standard. We included 67 consecutive patients on the first day of febrile neutropenia. According to the consensus diagnosis 11 patients (16.4%) had pulmonary infections. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value were 36%, 93%, 50% and 88% for radiography, and 73%, 91%, 62% and 94% for low-dose computed tomography, respectively. An uncorrected McNemar showed no statistical difference (p = 0.197). Mean radiation dose for low-dose computed tomography was 0.24 mSv. Four out of 5 included patients diagnosed with invasive fungal disease had radiographic abnormalities suspect for invasive fungal disease on the low-dose computed tomography scan made on day 1 of fever, compared to none of the chest radiographs. We conclude that chest radiography has little value in the initial assessment of febrile neutropenia on day 1 for detection of pulmonary abnormalities. Low-dose computed tomography improves detection of pulmonary infiltrates and seems capable of detecting invasive fungal disease at a very early stage with a low radiation dose.

  16. What is the yield of routine chest radiography following tube thoracostomy for trauma?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kong, Victor Y; Oosthuizen, George V; Clarke, Damian L

    2015-01-01

    Routine chest radiography (CXR) following tube thoracostomy (TT) is a standard practice in most trauma centres worldwide. Evidence supporting this routine practice is lacking and the actual yield is unknown. We performed a retrospective review of 1042 patients over a 4-year period who had a routine post-insertion CXR performed in accordance with current ATLS® recommendations. A total 1042 TTs were performed on 1004 patients. Ninety-one per cent of patients (913/1004) were males, and the median age for all patients was 24 years. Seventy-five per cent of all injuries (756/1004) were from penetrating trauma, and the remaining 25% (248/1004) were from blunt. The initial pathologies requiring TT were: haemopneumothorax: 34% (339/1042), haemothroax: 31% (314/1042), simple pneumothorax: 25% (256/1042), tension pneumothorax: 8% (77/1042) and open pneumothorax: 5% (54/1042). One hundred and three patients had TTs performed on clinical grounds alone without a pre-insertion CXR [Group A]. One hundred and ninety-one patients had a pre-insertion CXR but had persistent clinical concerns following insertion [Group B]. Seven hundred and ten patients had pre-insertion CXR but no clinical concerns following insertion [Group C]. Overall, 15% (152/1004) [9 from Group A, 111 from Group B and 32 from Group C] of all patients had their clinical management influenced as a direct result of the post-insertion CXR. Despite the widely accepted practice of routine CXR following tube thoracostomy, the yield is relatively low. In many cases, good clinical examination post tube insertion will provide warnings as to whether problems are likely to result. However, in the more rural setting, and in resource challenged environments, there is a relatively high yield from the CXR, which alters management. Further prospective studies are needed to establish or refute the role of the existing ATLS® guidelines in these specific environments. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Picture quiz: a case of sudden severe chest pain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rabia, Mustafa Abu; Sullivan, P; Stivaros, Stavros M

    2007-01-01

    An 18-year-old male with no previous medical history presented to hospital with sudden onset of acute epigastric pain radiating to the anterior chest wall and both shoulders. There was no history of recent trauma and he had not been vomiting.

  18. Predictors of Adverse Outcomes of Patients with Chest Pain and ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Background: Chest pain is a common symptom for referring patients to emergency departments (ED). Among those referred, some are admitted to hospitals with a definite or tentative diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome and some are discharged with primary diagnosis of non-cardiac chest pain. This study aimed at ...

  19. Diagnostic value of chest radiographs in bedridden patients suspected of having pneumonia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Esayag, Yaacov; Nikitin, Irina; Bar-Ziv, Jacob; Cytter, Ruth; Hadas-Halpern, Irith; Zalut, Todd; Yinnon, Amos M

    2010-01-01

    To assess the diagnostic value of the chest radiograph for the diagnosis of pneumonia in bedridden patients, using non-contrast-enhanced high-resolution chest computed tomography (CT) as the gold standard. We prospectively evaluated bedridden patients hospitalized with moderate to high clinical probability of pneumonia. Chest radiographs were interpreted in a blinded fashion by 3 observers and classified as definite, normal, or uncertain for pneumonia. Chest CT was obtained within 12 hours of chest radiograph. We applied Bayesian analysis to assess the accuracy of chest radiograph in the diagnosis of pneumonia. In a 5-month period, 58 patients were evaluated, 31 (53%) were female. Their chest radiographs were interpreted as negative, uncertain, or positive for pneumonia in 31 (53%), 15 (26%), and 12 (21%) patients, respectively, while CT confirmed pneumonia in 11 (35%), 10 (67%), and in 10 (83%). The sensitivity of the chest radiograph to diagnose pneumonia was 65%, the specificity was 93%, the positive and negative predictive values were, respectively, 83% and 65%, while the overall accuracy was 69% (95% confidence interval, 50%-79%). In bedridden patients with suspected pneumonia, a normal chest radiograph does not rule out the diagnosis, hence, a chest CT scan might provide valuable diagnostic information. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Traumatic chest injury in children: A single thoracic surgeon′s experience in two Nigerian tertiary hospitals

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kelechi Emmanuel Okonta

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: This study was to determine the extent and outcome of childhood chest injury in Nigeria, and to compare results with that of other literatures. Patients and Methods: A Prospective study of all children under 18 years of age with chest trauma in two tertiary hospitals in Southern Nigeria from January 2012 to December 2014 was reviewed. The aetiology, type, associated injury, mechanism, treatment and outcome were evaluated. The patients were followed up in the clinic. The data were analysed using SPSS version 20.0 with a significant P 12-h versus 2 who presented <12-h and 6 of children between 0 and 9 years versus 3 at 10-18 years of age had empyema thoracis (P value not significant. One death was recorded. Conclusion: Chest trauma in children is still not common, and blunt chest injury from falls and automobile accidents are more common than penetrating chest injury. Treatment with tube thoracostomy is the major management modality with empyema thoracis as the most common complication.

  1. Operative management versus non-operative management of rib fractures in flail chest injuries: a systematic review

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Schuurmans, Jaap; Goslings, J. C.; Schepers, T.

    2017-01-01

    Flail chest is a life-threatening complication of severe chest trauma with a mortality rate of up to 15 %. The standard non-operative management has high comorbidities with pneumonia and often leads to extended Intensive Care Unit (ICU) stay, due to insufficient respiratory function and

  2. Dose and perceived image quality in chest radiography

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Veldkamp, Wouter J.H.; Kroft, Lucia J.M.; Geleijns, Jacob

    2009-01-01

    Chest radiography is the most commonly performed diagnostic X-ray examination. The radiation dose to the patient for this examination is relatively low but because of its frequent use, the contribution to the collective dose is considerable. Consequently, optimization of dose and image quality offers a challenging area of research. In this article studies on dose reduction, different detector technologies, optimization of image acquisition and new technical developments in image acquisition and post processing will be reviewed. Studies indicate that dose reduction in PA chest images to at least 50% of commonly applied dose levels does not affect diagnosis in the lung fields; however, dose reduction in the mediastinum, upper abdomen and retrocardiac areas appears to directly deteriorate diagnosis. In addition to patient dose, also the design of the various digital detectors seems to have an effect on image quality. With respect to image acquisition, studies showed that using a lower tube voltage improves visibility of anatomical structures and lesions in digital chest radiographs but also increases the disturbing appearance of ribs. New techniques that are currently being evaluated are dual energy, tomosynthesis, temporal subtraction and rib suppression. These technologies may improve diagnostic chest X-ray further. They may for example reduce the negative influence of over projection of ribs, referred to as anatomic noise. In chest X-ray this type of noise may be the dominating factor in the detection of nodules. In conclusion, optimization and new developments will enlarge the value of chest X-ray as a mainstay in the diagnosis of chest diseases.

  3. Computed Tomographic Findings and Mortality in Patients With Pneumomediastinum From Blunt Trauma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Wayne S; Chong, Vincent E; Victorino, Gregory P

    2015-08-01

    The care of most patients with pneumomediastinum (PNM) due to trauma can be managed conservatively; however, owing to aerodigestive tract injury and other associated injuries, there is a subset of patients with PNM who are at higher risk of mortality but can be difficult to identify. To characterize computed tomographic (CT) findings associated with mortality in patients with PNM due to blunt trauma. A retrospective review of medical records from January 1, 2002, to December 31, 2011, was conducted at a university-based urban trauma center. The patients evaluated were those injured by blunt trauma and found to have PNM on initial chest CT scanning. Data analysis was performed July 2, 2013, to June 18, 2014. In-hospital mortality. During the study period, 3327 patients with blunt trauma underwent chest CT. Of these, 72 patients (2.2%) had PNM. Patients with PNM had higher Injury Severity Scores (P blunt trauma; however, CT findings of posterior PNM, air in all mediastinal compartments, and concurrent hemothorax are associated with increased mortality. These CT findings could be used as a triage tool to alert the trauma surgeon to a potentially lethal injury.

  4. Prevalence of interpersonal trauma exposure and trauma-related disorders in severe mental illness.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mauritz, Maria W; Goossens, Peter J J; Draijer, Nel; van Achterberg, Theo

    2013-01-01

    Interpersonal trauma exposure and trauma-related disorders in people with severe mental illness (SMI) are often not recognized in clinical practice. To substantiate the prevalence of interpersonal trauma exposure and trauma-related disorders in people with SMI. We conducted a systematic review of four databases (1980-2010) and then described and analysed 33 studies in terms of primary diagnosis and instruments used to measure trauma exposure and trauma-related disorders. Population-weighted mean prevalence rates in SMI were physical abuse 47% (range 25-72%), sexual abuse 37% (range 24-49%), and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) 30% (range 20-47%). Compared to men, women showed a higher prevalence of sexual abuse in schizophrenia spectrum disorder, bipolar disorder, and mixed diagnosis groups labelled as having SMI. Prevalence rates of interpersonal trauma and trauma-related disorders were significantly higher in SMI than in the general population. Emotional abuse and neglect, physical neglect, complex PTSD, and dissociative disorders have been scarcely examined in SMI.

  5. A study on computer-aided diagnosis based on temporal subtraction of sequential chest radiographs (in Japanese)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kano, Akiko

    2001-01-01

    An automated digital image subtraction technique for use with pairs of temporally sequential chest radiographs has been developed to aid radiologists in the detection of interval changes. Automated image registration based on nonlinear geometric warping is performed prior to subtraction in order to deal with complicated radiographic misregistration. Processing includes global matching, to achieve rough registration between the entire lung fields in the two images, and local matching, based on a cross-correlation method, to determine local shift values for a number of small regions. A proper warping of x,y-coordinates is determined by fitting two-dimensional polynomials to the distributions of the shift values. One image is warped and then subtracted from the other. The resultant subtraction images were able to enhance the conspicuity of various types of interval changes. Improved global matching based on a weighted template matching method achieved robust registration even with photofluorographs taken in chest mass screening programs, which had previously presented us with a relatively large number of poor-registration images. The new method was applied to 129 pairs of chest mass screening images, and offered registration accuracy as good as manual global matching. An observer test using 114 cases including 57 lung cancer cases presented better sensitivity and specificity on average compared to conventional comparison readings. In addition, newly developed image processing that eliminates the rib edge artifacts in subtraction images was applied to 26 images having pathological interval changes; results showed the potential for application to automated schemes for the detection of interval change patterns. With its capacity to improve the diagnostic accuracy of chest radiographs, the chest temporal subtraction technique promises to become an important element of computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) systems

  6. Penetrating ureteral trauma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gustavo P. Fraga

    2007-04-01

    Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this series is to report our experience in managing ureteral trauma, focusing on the importance of early diagnosis, correct treatment, and the impact of associated injuries on the management and morbid-mortality. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From January 1994 to December 2002, 1487 laparotomies for abdominal trauma were performed and 20 patients with ureteral lesions were identified, all of them secondary to penetrating injury. Medical charts were analyzed as well as information about trauma mechanisms, diagnostic routine, treatment and outcome. RESULTS: All patients were men. Mean age was 27 years. The mechanisms of injury were gunshot wounds in 18 cases (90% and stab wounds in two (10%. All penetrating abdominal injuries had primary indication of laparotomy, and neither excretory urography nor computed tomography were used in any case before surgery. The diagnosis of ureteric injury was made intra-operatively in 17 cases (85%. Two ureteral injuries (10% were initially missed. All patients had associated injuries. The treatment was dictated by the location, extension and time necessary to identify the injury. The overall incidence of complications was 55%. The presence of shock on admission, delayed diagnosis, Abdominal Trauma Index > 25, Injury Severity Score > 25 and colon injuries were associated to a high complication rate, however, there was no statistically significant difference. There were no mortalities in this group. CONCLUSIONS: A high index of suspicion is required for diagnosis of ureteral injuries. A thorough exploration of all retroperitoneal hematoma after penetrating trauma should be an accurate method of diagnosis; even though it failed in 10% of our cases.

  7. Studies on computer-aided diagnosis systems for chest radiographs and mammograms (in Japanese)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hara, Takeshi

    2001-01-01

    This thesis describes computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) systems for chest radiographs and mammograms. Preprocessing and imaging processing methods for each CAD system include dynamic range compression and region segmentation technique. A new pattern recognition technique combines genetic algorithms with template matching methods to detect lung nodules. A genetic algorithm was employed to select the optimal shape of simulated nodular shadows to be compared with real lesions on digitized chest images. Detection performance was evaluated using 332 chest radiographs from the database of the Japanese Society of Radiological Technology. Our average true-positive rate was 72.8% with an average of 11 false-positive findings per image. A new detection method using high resolution digital images with 0.05 mm sampling is also proposed for the mammogram CAD system to detect very small microcalcifications. An automated classification method uses feature extraction based on fractal dimension analysis of masses. Using over 200 cases to evaluate the detection of mammographic masses and calcifications, the detection rate of masses and microcalcifications were 87% and 96% with 1.5 and 1.8 false-positive findings, respectively. The classification performance on benign vs malignant lesions, the Az values that were defined by the areas under the ROC curves derived from classification schemes of masses and microcalcifications were 0.84 and 0.89. To demonstrate the practicality of these CAD systems in a computer-network environment, we propose to use the mammogram CAD system via the Internet and WWW. A common gateway interface and server-client approach for the CAD system via the Internet will permit display of the CAD results on ordinary computers

  8. Ultrasonography of chest wall lesion

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Park, Cheol Min; Kim, C. H.; Cha, I. H.; Chung, K. B.; Ser, W. H.; Choi, Y. H. [Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

    1989-12-15

    Thirty-one patients with chest wall diseases were studied with ultrasound to evaluate its role in chest wall lesions. There were eight infectious conditions, 9 benign tumors, 11 malignant lesions and 3 miscellaneous cases. Diffuse chest wall thickening with heterogeneous echogenicity and obliteration of subcutaneous fat layer are findings of acute infection. In cases of tuberculous smpyema necessitates, pleural abnormality extended to the chest wall through intercostal space. Benign tumors were well demarcated, except in 4 cases of lipoma/lipomatosis. Malignant lesions showed irregular soft tissue masses, bone destruction, pleural effusion and subcutaneous invasion. Multiple enlarged lymph nodes were also shown. Ultrasound can demonstrate te internal structure, extent, depth and associated findings such as pleural effusion, bone destruction and peripheral lung involvement. Ultrasound is not only safe, non-invasive and an effective diagnostic imaging modality for chest wall disease, but can also guide aspiration or biopsy for pathologic diagnosis

  9. Ultrasonography of chest wall lesion

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Park, Cheol Min; Kim, C. H.; Cha, I. H.; Chung, K. B.; Ser, W. H.; Choi, Y. H.

    1989-01-01

    Thirty-one patients with chest wall diseases were studied with ultrasound to evaluate its role in chest wall lesions. There were eight infectious conditions, 9 benign tumors, 11 malignant lesions and 3 miscellaneous cases. Diffuse chest wall thickening with heterogeneous echogenicity and obliteration of subcutaneous fat layer are findings of acute infection. In cases of tuberculous smpyema necessitates, pleural abnormality extended to the chest wall through intercostal space. Benign tumors were well demarcated, except in 4 cases of lipoma/lipomatosis. Malignant lesions showed irregular soft tissue masses, bone destruction, pleural effusion and subcutaneous invasion. Multiple enlarged lymph nodes were also shown. Ultrasound can demonstrate te internal structure, extent, depth and associated findings such as pleural effusion, bone destruction and peripheral lung involvement. Ultrasound is not only safe, non-invasive and an effective diagnostic imaging modality for chest wall disease, but can also guide aspiration or biopsy for pathologic diagnosis

  10. Diagnosis of Grave's disease with pulmonary hypertension on chest CT.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Hwa Yeon; Yoo, Seung Min; Kim, Hye Rin; Chun, Eun Ju; White, Charles S

    To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of chest CT findings to diagnose Grave's disease in pulmonary hypertension. We retrospectively evaluated chest CT and the medical records of 13 patients with Grave's disease with (n=6) or without pulmonary hypertension (n=7) and in 17 control patients. Presence of iso-attenuation of diffusely enlarged thyroid glands compared with adjacent neck muscle on non-enhanced CT as a diagnostic clue of Grave's disease, and assessment of pulmonary hypertension on CT has high diagnostic accuracy. Chest CT has the potential to diagnose Grave's disease with pulmonary hypertension in the absence of other information. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Another cause of chest pain: Staphylococcus aureus sternal osteomyelitis in an otherwise healthy adult

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vacek TP

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available Thomas P Vacek, Shahnaz Rehman, Shipeng Yu, Ankush Moza, Ragheb Assaly Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Toledo Medical Center, Toledo OH, USAAbstract: Chest pain requires a detailed differential diagnosis with good history-taking skills to differentiate between cardiogenic and noncardiogenic causes. Moreover, when other symptoms such as fever and elevated white blood cell count are involved, it may be necessary to consider causes that include infectious sources. A 53-year-old female with no significant past medical history returned to the hospital with recurrent complaints of chest pain that was constant, substernal, reproducible, and exacerbated with inspiration and expiration. The chest pain was thought to be noncardiogenic, as electrocardiography did not demonstrate changes, and cardiac enzymes were found to be negative for signs of ischemia. The patient's blood cultures were analyzed from a previous admission and were shown to be positive for Staphylococcus aureus. The patient was started empirically on vancomycin, which was later switched to ceftriaxone as the bacteria were more sensitive to this antibiotic. A transthoracic echocardiogram did not demonstrate any vegetation or signs of endocarditis. There was a small right pleural effusion discovered on X-ray. Therefore, computed tomography as well as magnetic resonance imaging of the chest were performed, and showed osteomyelitis of the chest. The patient was continued on intravenous ceftriaxone for a total of 6 weeks. Tests for HIV, hepatitis A, B, and C were all found to be negative. The patient had no history of childhood illness, recurrent infections, or previous trauma to the chest, and had had no recent respiratory infections, pneumonia, or any underlying lung condition. Hence, her condition was thought to be a case of primary sternal osteomyelitis without known cause.Keywords: substernal, pleuritic, myocardial infarction, differential

  12. Intrathoracic tuberculous lymphadenopathy in children: a guide to chest radiography

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    George, Anthony; Andronikou, Savvas [Bristol Royal Hospital for Children and the University of Bristol, Department of Paediatric Radiology, Bristol (United Kingdom); Pillay, Tanyia; Zar, Heather J. [University of Cape Town and Medical Research Council Unit on Child and Adolescent Health, Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Red Cross War Memorial Children' s Hospital, Cape Town (South Africa); Goussard, Pierre [Tygerberg Hospital and the University of Stellenbosch, Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Cape Town (South Africa)

    2017-09-15

    Making the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis in children can be difficult because microbiological confirmation is not often achieved. Diagnosis is therefore often based on clinical features in combination with chest radiograph findings. Chest radiographs can demonstrate lymphadenopathy of the hilar and para-tracheal regions on the anteroposterior view, and subcarinal lymphadenopathy on the lateral view. However poor interobserver agreement has been reported for radiologist and clinician assessment of lymphadenopathy. This might reflect the lack of standardised imaging criteria for diagnosis as well as radiologists' objectives for achieving sensitivity rather than specificity. In this paper the authors provide a pictorial aid of chest radiographs in children with culture-confirmed tuberculosis to help clinicians identify lymph node enlargement in primary pulmonary tuberculosis. This collection of images comprises chest radiographs accompanied by schematics and either CT or MRI scan confirmation of pathological lymph node enlargement at the positions commonly affected in tuberculosis. (orig.)

  13. Predictors of Adverse Outcomes of Patients with Chest Pain and Primary Diagnosis of Non-Cardiac Pain at the Time of Discharge from Emergency Department: A 30-Days Prospective Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Soltani, Mohammadhossien; Mirzaei, Masoud; Amin, Ahmad; Emami, Mahmoud; Aryanpoor, Reza; Shamsi, Farimah; Sarebanhassanabadi, Mohammadtaghi

    2016-07-01

    Chest pain is a common symptom for referring patients to emergency departments (ED). Among those referred, some are admitted to hospitals with a definite or tentative diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome and some are discharged with primary diagnosis of non-cardiac chest pain. This study aimed at investigating 30 days' adverse outcomes of patients discharged from ED of a major heart center in Iran. Out of 1638 chest pain admissions to the centre during 2010-2011, 962 patients (mean age= 50.9±15.9 years) who were admitted to Afshar Heart Center's ED with chest pain as their chief complaint, and discharged with primary diagnosis of non-cardiac chest pain, were followed for any adverse cardiac events 30 days post discharge. The adverse events were: unstable angina, non-ST-elevated myocardial infarction (NSTEMI), ST elevated myocardial infarction (STEMI), coronary revascularization (percutaneous angioplasty, coronary artery bypass grafting) and death. Adverse cardiac events, including acute coronary syndrome (ACS), revascularization and death were observed in 30 patients (3.1%) including: acute MI n=5 (0.5%, sudden cardiac death inn=1 (0.1%, coronary revascularization in n=8 (0.8%) and hospitalization due to unstable angina/NSTEMI in n=16 (1-7%). Adverse events were seen more frequently in patients with history of hypertension, dyslipidemia and previous coronary artery disease. In univariate analysis, the chance of postdischarge adverse cardiac events was higher in patients with hypertension (OR=9.36, CI=3.24-27.03), previous coronary artery disease (OR= 3.8, CI=1.78-8.0), dyslipidemia (OR=3.5, CI=1.7-7.38) and discharge against medical advice (OR=2.85, CI= 1.37-5.91). The extent of adverse cardiac events in patients with a primary diagnosis of non-cardiac chest pain within 30 days of discharge was significant, mandating nation-wide registries to provide better care for these patients.

  14. Research Status of the Skeletalre Construction of Chest Wall

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daixing ZHONG

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Chest wall defect may be caused by many factors such as the resection of tumor and trauma, and the reconstruction of bone-defection is still the key point of thoracic surgery. With the development of material science, more and more new materials have been used in medical practice, which makes huge progress in the surgery of chest wall. However, none of these materials satisfy all the practical needs of the reconstruction. Recently, with the development of the capacity of computer, 3D-printing technology has been gradually used in clinical work, and the idea of individual treatment has been accepted by more and more people. The weakness of these materials may be solved by the new material and the application of individual treatment, which could also make great advance in chest wall surgery. This article will make a summary of the research on the reconstruction of chest wall.

  15. Influence of 'optical illusion' on the detectability of pneumothorax in diagnosis for chest CT images. Substantiation by visual psychological simulation images

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Henmi, Shuichi

    2008-01-01

    Some cases have been reported in which an optical illusion of lightness perception influences the detectability in diagnosis of low-density hematoma in head CT images in addition to the visual impression of the photographic density of the brain. Therefore, in this study, the author attempted to compare the detectability in diagnosis for chest images with pneumothorax using visual subjective evaluation, and investigated the influence of optical illusion on that detectability in diagnosis. Results indicated that in the window setting of lung, on such an occasion when the low-absorption free space with pneumothorax forms a crescent or the reduced lung borders on the chest-wall, an optical illusion in which the visual impression on the difference of the film contrast between the lung and the low-absorption free space with pneumothorax was psychologically emphasized when contrast was observed. In all cases the detectability in diagnosis for original images with the white thorax and mediastinum was superior to virtual images. Further, in case of the virtual double window setting of lung, thorax, and mediastinum, under the influence of the difference in the radiological anatomy of thorax and mediastinum as a result of the grouping theories of lightness computation, an optical illusion different from the original images was observed. (author)

  16. Reconstruction of the chest wall after excision of a giant malignant ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    2011-07-29

    Jul 29, 2011 ... Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (MPNST) of the chest wall is even rarer and its incidence on ... manubrium. There was no preceding history of trauma, fever, ... were related to pneumothorax and respiratory failures.[5].

  17. Pattern and outcome of chest injuries at Bugando Medical Centre in Northwestern Tanzania

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-01-01

    Background Chest injuries constitute a continuing challenge to the trauma or general surgeon practicing in developing countries. This study was conducted to outline the etiological spectrum, injury patterns and short term outcome of these injuries in our setting. Patients and methods This was a prospective study involving chest injury patients admitted to Bugando Medical Centre over a six-month period from November 2009 to April 2010 inclusive. Results A total of 150 chest injury patients were studied. Males outnumbered females by a ratio of 3.8:1. Their ages ranged from 1 to 80 years (mean = 32.17 years). The majority of patients (72.7%) sustained blunt injuries. Road traffic crush was the most common cause of injuries affecting 50.7% of patients. Chest wall wounds, hemothorax and rib fractures were the most common type of injuries accounting for 30.0%, 21.3% and 20.7% respectively. Associated injuries were noted in 56.0% of patients and head/neck (33.3%) and musculoskeletal regions (26.7%) were commonly affected. The majority of patients (55.3%) were treated successfully with non-operative approach. Underwater seal drainage was performed in 39 patients (19.3%). One patient (0.7%) underwent thoracotomy due to hemopericardium. Thirty nine patients (26.0%) had complications of which wound sepsis (14.7%) and complications of long bone fractures (12.0%) were the most common complications. The mean LOS was 13.17 days and mortality rate was 3.3%. Using multivariate logistic regression analysis, associated injuries, the type of injury, trauma scores (ISS, RTS and PTS) were found to be significant predictors of the LOS (P trauma scores (ISS, RTS and PTS), the need for ICU admission and the presence of complications (P Chest injuries resulting from RTCs remain a major public health problem in this part of Tanzania. Urgent preventive measures targeting at reducing the occurrence of RTCs is necessary to reduce the incidence of chest injuries in this region. PMID:21244706

  18. Frequency and significance of thoracic injuries detected on abdominal trauma CT scans

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hareli, G.S.; Rhea, J.T.; Novelline, R.A.; Lawrason, N.; Sacknoff, R.; Oser, A.

    1987-01-01

    The authors have noted that in multiple trauma patients chest injuries inapparent on initial chest radiographs may be detected at abdominal CT. In an ongoing series of 112 patients to date, 50 chest injuries were detected in 33 patients (29%). The injuries included 15 bilateral hemothoraces, seven unilateral hemothoraces, seven posttraumatic atrelectasis, seven lung contusions, five pneumothoraces, four rib factures, two thoracic spine fractures, two chest wall emphysema, and one mediastinal emphysema. In 24 of the 33 patients (72%) the injury was not seen on the initial chest radiographs; in seven patients treatment of the chest injury was required. The authors have included screening cuts of the middle and upper chest as part of their abdominal CT protocol

  19. Prevalence of interpersonal trauma exposure and trauma-related disorders in severe mental illness

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maria W. Mauritz

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available Background: Interpersonal trauma exposure and trauma-related disorders in people with severe mental illness (SMI are often not recognized in clinical practice. Objective: To substantiate the prevalence of interpersonal trauma exposure and trauma-related disorders in people with SMI. Methods: We conducted a systematic review of four databases (1980–2010 and then described and analysed 33 studies in terms of primary diagnosis and instruments used to measure trauma exposure and trauma-related disorders. Results: Population-weighted mean prevalence rates in SMI were physical abuse 47% (range 25–72%, sexual abuse 37% (range 24–49%, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD 30% (range 20–47%. Compared to men, women showed a higher prevalence of sexual abuse in schizophrenia spectrum disorder, bipolar disorder, and mixed diagnosis groups labelled as having SMI. Conclusions: Prevalence rates of interpersonal trauma and trauma-related disorders were significantly higher in SMI than in the general population. Emotional abuse and neglect, physical neglect, complex PTSD, and dissociative disorders have been scarcely examined in SMI.

  20. Utility of Chest Computed Tomography after a "Normal" Chest Radiograph in Patients with Thoracic Stab Wounds.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nguyen, Brian M; Plurad, David; Abrishami, Sadaf; Neville, Angela; Putnam, Brant; Kim, Dennis Y

    2015-10-01

    Chest computed tomography (CCT) is used to screen for injuries in hemodynamically stable patients with penetrating injury. We aim to determine the incidence of missed injuries detected on CCT after a negative chest radiograph (CXR) in patients with thoracic stab wounds. A 10-year retrospective review of a Level I trauma center registry was performed on patients with thoracic stab wounds. Patients who were hemodynamically unstable or did not undergo both CXR and CCT were excluded. Patients with a negative CXR were evaluated to determine if additional findings were diagnosed on CCT. Of 386 patients with stab wounds to the chest, 154 (40%) underwent both CXR and CCT. One hundred and fifteen (75%) had a negative screening CXR. CCT identified injuries in 42 patients (37%) that were not seen on CXR. Pneumothorax and/or hemothorax occurred in 40 patients (35%), of which 14 patients underwent tube thoracostomy. Two patients had hemopericardium on CCT and both required operative intervention. Greater than one-third of patients with a normal screening CXR were found to have abnormalities on CCT. Future studies comparing repeat CXR to CCT are required to further define the optimal diagnostic strategy in patients with stab wounds to chest after normal screening CXR.

  1. Bone scanning a useful addition in the diagnosis of ankle joint trauma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schmidt, C.

    1983-01-01

    A retrospective study of the indication in 169 scintigraphic examinations of the ankle joint was made. Usually joints respond to trauma with a generalized increase of the concentration of the radiopharmaceutical. By using a highly performed technique the focal hot spot caused by the fracture can be seen in the bone scan. The focal accumulation of the radioactive material must not correspond to a bone fracture in any case. The ligamentous avulsion of a bone chip and/or the periosteum can yield the same image but it cannot be diagnosed by radiographic techniques. Initially the routine radiograph and even the tomograph often are interpreted as normal or equivocal. In these cases of ankle trauma bone scanning completes the clinical evaluation. Although bone scanning is very important in the diagnosis of any traumatic lesion of the ankle joints it cannot replace the conventional X-ray technique. (orig.) [de

  2. Urological injuries following trauma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bent, C.; Iyngkaran, T.; Power, N.; Matson, M.; Hajdinjak, T.; Buchholz, N.; Fotheringham, T.

    2008-01-01

    Blunt renal trauma is the third most common injury in abdominal trauma following splenic and hepatic injuries, respectively. In the majority, such injuries are associated with other abdominal organ injuries. As urological injuries are not usually life-threatening, and clinical signs and symptoms are non-specific, diagnosis is often delayed. We present a practical approach to the diagnosis and management of these injuries based on our experience in a busy inner city trauma hospital with a review of the current evidence-based practice. Diagnostic imaging signs are illustrated

  3. Urological injuries following trauma

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bent, C. [Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Barts and The London NHS Trust, London (United Kingdom)], E-mail: clare.bent@bartsandthelondon.nhs.uk; Iyngkaran, T.; Power, N.; Matson, M. [Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Barts and The London NHS Trust, London (United Kingdom); Hajdinjak, T.; Buchholz, N. [Department of Urology, Barts and The London NHS Trust, London (United Kingdom); Fotheringham, T. [Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Barts and The London NHS Trust, London (United Kingdom)

    2008-12-15

    Blunt renal trauma is the third most common injury in abdominal trauma following splenic and hepatic injuries, respectively. In the majority, such injuries are associated with other abdominal organ injuries. As urological injuries are not usually life-threatening, and clinical signs and symptoms are non-specific, diagnosis is often delayed. We present a practical approach to the diagnosis and management of these injuries based on our experience in a busy inner city trauma hospital with a review of the current evidence-based practice. Diagnostic imaging signs are illustrated.

  4. Urological injuries following trauma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bent, C; Iyngkaran, T; Power, N; Matson, M; Hajdinjak, T; Buchholz, N; Fotheringham, T

    2008-12-01

    Blunt renal trauma is the third most common injury in abdominal trauma following splenic and hepatic injuries, respectively. In the majority, such injuries are associated with other abdominal organ injuries. As urological injuries are not usually life-threatening, and clinical signs and symptoms are non-specific, diagnosis is often delayed. We present a practical approach to the diagnosis and management of these injuries based on our experience in a busy inner city trauma hospital with a review of the current evidence-based practice. Diagnostic imaging signs are illustrated.

  5. Papel da dosagem seriada de troponina nos pacientes com suspeita de contusão miocárdica após trauma torácico fechado The role of serial measurement of troponin in patients with a suspected myocardial injury after chest trauma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thiago Domingos Corrêa

    2007-06-01

    Full Text Available JUSTIFICATIVA E OBJETIVOS: A contusão miocárdica está freqüentemente associada ao trauma torácico fechado. Seu correto diagnóstico é um constante desafio aos profissionais que trabalham em unidades de emergência, devido aos seus sintomas inespecíficos e a ausência de exames subsidiários com precisão para fazer o diagnóstico. Dentre os diversos métodos diagnósticos estudados, tem-se destacado nos últimos anos o papel dos indicadores de necrose miocárdica troponina I e troponina T. Por serem proteí­nas constituintes do aparelho de regulação contrátil celular, são liberadas na corrente sanguínea somente após a perda da integridade de membrana dos miócitos e, portanto, são altamente específicas para detectar lesão miocárdica. CONTEUDO: Foi realizada uma revisão de estudos clínicos nas bases eletrônicas de dados MedLine e LILACS, no período de janeiro de 1980 a novembro de 2006, sobre a importância da dosagem seriada de troponina como instrumento diagnóstico e preditor de evolução clínica desfavorável nos pacientes com contusão miocárdica. CONCLUSÕES: Embora exista maior especificidade das troponinas I e T quando comparadas aos indicadores tradicionais, CKMB massa e CPK total, esses dois indicadores apresentarem sensibilidade e valor preditivo positivo baixos para diagnosticar contusão miocárdica. Pacientes que apresentam alterações eletrocardiográficas, elevação de troponinas, ou ambas, devem permanecer em observação em unidade de terapia intensiva (UTI, por no mínimo 24 horas, período em que se desenvolve a maioria das complicações decorrentes da contusão miocárdica.BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Myocardial contusion is often associated with blunt chest trauma. Its diagnosis is challenging to the professionals who work in emergency department due to nonspecific symptoms and the lack of auxiliary exams with enough accuracy to diagnose. Among the available diagnostic tools, the biomarkers of

  6. PNEUMOTHORAX- DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT

    OpenAIRE

    Milisavljević Slobodan; Spasić Marko; Milošević Bojan

    2015-01-01

    Introduction: Pneumothorax is defined as the presence of air in the pleural cavity, ie, the space between the chest wall and the lung itself. Pneumothorax is classified ethiologically into spontaneous pneumothorax and traumatic pneumothorax. Spontaneous pneumothorax is further classified into primary and secondary. Traumatic pneumothorax may result from either blunt trauma or penetrating injury to the chest wall. It can also be caused by iatrogenic injuries. Spontaneous pneumothorax is a sign...

  7. Liver trauma from penetrating injuries. Miscellanea, personal series, clinical and CT findings

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Salzano, A.; Nocera, V.; De Rosa, A.; Vigliotti, A.; Rossi, E.; Carbone, M.; Gatta, G.

    2000-01-01

    Penetrating liver wounds are related to many causes and rank second after blunt abdominal and liver trauma. In this report are examined the clinical and radiological findings of personal series of patients with penetrating trauma, especially by firearms and stab and cut wounds. It will also tried to define the diagnostic workup of these traumas, which is especially based on CT signs of liver damage and associated changes and which is of basic importance for following treatment, both surgical or conservative. In the last seven years it was retrospectively reviewed 31 cases of penetrating liver trauma. The patients were 19 men and 12 women, ranging in age 18 to 73 (mean 42), with penetrating liver injuries from firearms (16 patients) and stab (9 cases) wounds; 6 patients had injuries from different cases. Abdominal CT was carried out in emergency with the CT Angiography (CTA) technique in all patients. In the patients with suspected chest and abdomen involvement CT was performed from the mid-chest for accurate assessment of diaphragm and lung bases and to exclude associated pleuropulmonary damage. Penetrating liver wounds were caused by firearms in 70% of cases, by stabbing in 12% and, in the extant 18%, by other cases such as home accidents, road and work traumas, and liver biopsy. In this series, the liver was most frequently involved, especially by firearms wounds; in the 16 cases the most frequent injuries were hemorrhagic tears. It was found bullets in the liver in 6 cases. In one case of home accident the patient wounded himself while slicing bread with a long knife, which cut into the anterior abdominal wall and tore the anterior liver capsule, as seen at CTA. Penetrating wounds to liver and abdomen are less frequent than those to the chest. In the past decade the use of CT has changed the diagnostic and therapeutic approach to such injuries completely, decreasing the resort to explorative laparotomy and hepatorrhaphy. Indeed, CT provides a clear picture of

  8. Sonographic diagnosis of pneumothorax

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lubna F Husain

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Lung sonography has rapidly emerged as a reliable technique in the evaluation of various thoracic diseases. One important, well-established application is the diagnosis of a pneumothorax. Prompt and accurate diagnosis of a pneumothorax in the management of a critical patient can prevent the progression into a life-threatening situation. Sonographic signs, including ′lung sliding′, ′B-lines′ or ′comet tail artifacts′, ′A-lines′, and ′the lung point sign′ can help in the diagnosis of a pneumothorax. Ultrasound has a higher sensitivity than the traditional upright anteroposterior chest radiography (CXR for the detection of a pneumothorax. Small occult pneumothoraces may be missed on CXR during a busy trauma scenario, and CXR may not always be feasible in critically ill patients. Computed tomography, the gold standard for the detection of pneumothorax, requires patients to be transported out of the clinical area, compromising their hemodynamic stability and delaying the diagnosis. As ultrasound machines have become more portable and easier to use, lung sonography now allows a rapid evaluation of an unstable patient, at the bedside. These advantages combined with the low cost and ease of use, have allowed thoracic sonography to become a useful modality in many clinical settings.

  9. Acute chest pain: a purely clinical problem or a question for radiology

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Loewe, C.

    2008-01-01

    Acute chest pain represents a very common clinical occurrence and at the same time poses a severe diagnostic dilemma. It can be due to an acute life-threatening event such as acute cardiac infarct, or a relatively harmless condition of pain and illness (e.g. vertebrogenic pain) under the main symptom category of acute chest pain. This often unclear symptomatic, behind which there can always be a life-threatening disease leads to an exaggerated grouping of patients into emergency cases and to an increased number of inpatients for observation. The diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome with no initial ECG changes typical for ischemia is especially problematic. The availability of modern multidetector computed tomography is becoming increasingly more important for radiologists in the diagnosis and clarification of acute chest pain. In this article the clinical difficulties and radiology options for the diagnosis of patients with acute chest pain will be presented and possible future algorithms for diagnosis will be discussed. (orig.) [de

  10. Prevalence of interpersonal trauma exposure and trauma-related disorders in severe mental illness

    OpenAIRE

    Mauritz, Maria W.; Goossens, Peter J.J.; Draijer, Nel; Achterberg, Theo van

    2013-01-01

    Background: Interpersonal trauma exposure and trauma-related disorders in people with severe mental illness (SMI) are often not recognized in clinical practice.Objective: To substantiate the prevalence of interpersonal trauma exposure and trauma-related disorders in people with SMI.Methods: We conducted a systematic review of four databases (1980-2010) and then described and analysed 33 studies in terms of primary diagnosis and instruments used to measure trauma exposure and traumarelated dis...

  11. Vascular emergencies in liver trauma

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Taourel, P. [Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Lapeyronie, Montpellier (France)], E-mail: p-taourel@chu-montpellier.fr; Vernhet, H. [Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Arnaud de Villeneuve, Montpellier (France); Suau, A.; Granier, C. [Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Lapeyronie, Montpellier (France); Lopez, F.M. [Centre Hospitalier Universitaire, Nimes (France); Aufort, S. [Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Lapeyronie, Montpellier (France)

    2007-10-15

    The use of CT in the diagnosis and management of liver trauma is responsible for the shift from routine surgical versus non-surgical treatment in the management of traumatic liver injuries, even when they are of high grade. The main cause of compli cation and of death in liver trauma is related to vascular injury. The goal of this review focussed on the vascular complications of liver trauma is to describe the elementary lesions shown by CT in liver trauma including laceration, parenchymal hematoma and contusions, partial devascularisation, subcapsular hematomas, hemoperitoneum, active bleeding, pseudoaneurysm of the hepatic artery, bile leak, and periportal oedema, to illustrate the possible pitfalls in CT diagnosis of liver trauma and to underline the key-points which may absolutely be present in a CT report of liver trauma. Then we will remind the grading system based on the CT features and we will analyze the interest and limitations of such grading systems. Last we will discuss the diagnostic strategy at the early phase in patients with suspected liver trauma according to their clinical conditions and underline the conditions of arterial embolization, and then we will discuss the diagnosis strategy at the delayed phase according to the suspected complications.

  12. Vascular emergencies in liver trauma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Taourel, P.; Vernhet, H.; Suau, A.; Granier, C.; Lopez, F.M.; Aufort, S.

    2007-01-01

    The use of CT in the diagnosis and management of liver trauma is responsible for the shift from routine surgical versus non-surgical treatment in the management of traumatic liver injuries, even when they are of high grade. The main cause of compli cation and of death in liver trauma is related to vascular injury. The goal of this review focussed on the vascular complications of liver trauma is to describe the elementary lesions shown by CT in liver trauma including laceration, parenchymal hematoma and contusions, partial devascularisation, subcapsular hematomas, hemoperitoneum, active bleeding, pseudoaneurysm of the hepatic artery, bile leak, and periportal oedema, to illustrate the possible pitfalls in CT diagnosis of liver trauma and to underline the key-points which may absolutely be present in a CT report of liver trauma. Then we will remind the grading system based on the CT features and we will analyze the interest and limitations of such grading systems. Last we will discuss the diagnostic strategy at the early phase in patients with suspected liver trauma according to their clinical conditions and underline the conditions of arterial embolization, and then we will discuss the diagnosis strategy at the delayed phase according to the suspected complications

  13. Chest wall invasion by bronchogenic carcinoma. Evaluation with Cine-MRI

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nawano, Shigeru; Murakami, Kohji; Ohnuma, Hiroshi; Iwata, Ryoko; Hayashi, Takayuki; Moriyama, Noriyuki; Nishiwaki, Yutaka; Nagai, Kanji

    1996-01-01

    With the view of examining possible chest wall invasion of bronchogenic carcinoma, Cine-MRI was performed on 22 such cases. These cases were suspected of having above chest wall invasion by CT and their histopathological findings were obtained in surgery. The judgment of the chest wall invasion by Cine-CT was made such that non-moving up and down of the tumor with respiration involves its invasion, moving of the tumor without any up-and-down movement suspects its invasion and moving up and down of the tumor with respiration involves no invasion. The chest wall invasion was observed in 5 of 7 cases of invasion judged by Cine-MRI. For 2 false-positive cases, the histopathological findings presumed that tumor cells disappeared from the chest wall invaded region as the result of preoperative chemotherapy. The above invasion was observed in 1 of 4 cases suspected of possible invasion. Correct diagnosis was formed of 11 cases judged invasion-free by Cine-MRI. The above results suggested Cine-MRI to be useful for diagnosis of chest wall invasion of bronchogenic carcinoma. (author)

  14. Hemorrhagic lesion on the chest wall after trauma.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Roche, Lisa

    2018-01-01

    A 59-year-old woman presented with a burning, rapidly progressive mass on the midchest, occurring after a fall, 4 months prior. Examination found a large well-circumscribed mass over the lower xiphisternum (Figs 1 and 2). Results of baseline investigations were normal apart from mildly elevated liver function values. A computerized tomography scan confirmed a 6.4- x 4.9-cm lobulated soft tissue heterogeneous-density mass located in the subcutaneous fat with ill-defined borders and no obvious infiltration of the chest wall. A single focal abnormality\\r\

  15. Chest tomosynthesis: technical and clinical perspectives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnsson, Ase Allansdotter; Vikgren, Jenny; Bath, Magnus

    2014-02-01

    The recent implementation of chest tomosynthesis is built on the availability of large, dose-efficient, high-resolution flat panel detectors, which enable the acquisition of the necessary number of projection radiographs to allow reconstruction of section images of the chest within one breath hold. A chest tomosynthesis examination obtains the increased diagnostic information provided by volumetric imaging at a radiation dose comparable to that of conventional chest radiography. There is evidence that the sensitivity of chest tomosynthesis may be at least three times higher than for conventional chest radiography for detection of pulmonary nodules. The sensitivity increases with increasing nodule size and attenuation and decreases for nodules with subpleural location. Differentiation between pleural and subpleural lesions is a known pitfall due to the limited depth resolution in chest tomosynthesis. Studies on different types of pathology report increased detectability in favor of chest tomosynthesis in comparison to chest radiography. The technique provides improved diagnostic accuracy and confidence in the diagnosis of suspected pulmonary lesions on chest radiography and facilitates the exclusion of pulmonary lesions in a majority of patients, avoiding the need for computed tomography (CT). However, motion artifacts can be a cumbersome limitation and breathing during the tomosynthesis image acquisition may result in severe artifacts significantly affecting the detectability of pathology. In summary, chest tomosynthesis has been shown to be superior to chest conventional radiography for many tasks and to be able to replace CT in selected cases. In our experience chest tomosynthesis is an efficient problem solver in daily clinical work. Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

  16. Use of the omentum in chest-wall reconstruction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fix, R.J.; Vasconez, L.O.

    1989-01-01

    Increased use of the omentum in chest-wall reconstruction has paralleled the refinement of anatomic knowledge and the development of safe mobilization techniques. Important anatomic points are the omental attachments to surrounding structures, the major blood supply from the left and right gastroepiploic vessels, and the collateral circulation via the gastroepiploic arch and Barkow's marginal artery. Mobilization of the omentum to the thorax involves division of its attachments to the transverse colon and separation from the greater curvature to fabricate a bipedicled flap. Most anterior chest wounds and virtually all mediastinal wounds can be covered with the omentum based on both sets of gastroepiploic vessels. The arc of transposition is increased when the omentum is based on a single pedicle, allowing coverage of virtually all chest-wall defects. The final method of increasing flap length involves division of the gastroepiploic arch and reliance on Barkow's marginal artery as collateral circulation to maintain flap viability. With regard to chest-wall reconstruction, we have included the omentum in the armamentarium of flaps used to cover mediastinal wounds. The omentum is our flap of choice for the reconstruction of most radiation injuries of the chest wall. The omentum may also be used to provide protection to visceral anastomoses, vascular conduits, and damaged structures in the chest, as well as to cover defects secondary to tumor excision or trauma. In brief, the omentum has proved to be a most dependable and versatile flap, particularly applicable to chest-wall reconstruction

  17. Clinician-performed Beside Ultrasound for the Diagnosis of Traumatic Pneumothorax

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bon S. Ku

    2013-03-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Prior studies have reported conflicting results regarding the utility of ultrasound in thediagnosis of traumatic pneumothorax (PTX because they have used sonologists with extensiveexperience. This study evaluates the characteristics of ultrasound for PTX for a large cohort oftrauma and emergency physicians.Methods: This was a prospective, observational study on a convenience sample of patientspresenting to a trauma center who had a thoracic ultrasound (TUS evaluation for PTX performedafter the Focused Assessment with Sonography for Trauma exam. Sonologists recorded theirfindings prior to any other diagnostic studies. The results of TUS were compared to one or more ofthe following: chest computed tomography, escape of air on chest tube insertion, or supine chestradiography followed by clinical observation.Results: There were 549 patients enrolled. The median injury severity score of the patients was 5(inter-quartile range [IQR] 1-14; 36 different sonologists performed TUS. Forty-seven of the 549patients had traumatic PTX, for an incidence of 9%. TUS correctly identified 27/47 patients with PTXfor a sensitivity of 57% (confidence interval [CI] 42-72%. There were 3 false positive cases of TUSfor a specificity of 99% (CI 98%-100%. A “wet” chest radiograph reading done in the trauma bayshowed a sensitivity of 40% (CI 23-59 and a specificity of 100% (99-100.Conclusion: In a large heterogenous group of clinicians who typically care for trauma patients, thesonographic evaluation for pneumothorax was as accurate as supine chest radiography. Thoracicultrasound may be helpful in the initial evaluation of patients with truncal trauma.

  18. Pancreatic trauma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lahiri, R; Bhattacharya, S

    2013-05-01

    Pancreatic trauma occurs in approximately 4% of all patients sustaining abdominal injuries. The pancreas has an intimate relationship with the major upper abdominal vessels, and there is significant morbidity and mortality associated with severe pancreatic injury. Immediate resuscitation and investigations are essential to delineate the nature of the injury, and to plan further management. If main pancreatic duct injuries are identified, specialised input from a tertiary hepatopancreaticobiliary (HPB) team is advised. A comprehensive online literature search was performed using PubMed. Relevant articles from international journals were selected. The search terms used were: 'pancreatic trauma', 'pancreatic duct injury', 'radiology AND pancreas injury', 'diagnosis of pancreatic trauma', and 'management AND surgery'. Articles that were not published in English were excluded. All articles used were selected on relevance to this review and read by both authors. Pancreatic trauma is rare and associated with injury to other upper abdominal viscera. Patients present with non-specific abdominal findings and serum amylase is of little use in diagnosis. Computed tomography is effective in diagnosing pancreatic injury but not duct disruption, which is most easily seen on endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreaticography or operative pancreatography. If pancreatic injury is suspected, inspection of the entire pancreas and duodenum is required to ensure full evaluation at laparotomy. The operative management of pancreatic injury depends on the grade of injury found at laparotomy. The most important prognostic factor is main duct disruption and, if found, reconstructive options should be determined by an experienced HPB surgeon. The diagnosis of pancreatic trauma requires a high index of suspicion and detailed imaging studies. Grading pancreatic injury is important to guide operative management. The most important prognostic factor is pancreatic duct disruption and in these cases

  19. The use of three-dimensional tomographic reconstructions in the diagnosis on facial trauma: report of three cases and literature review

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lima Junior, Jose Lacet de; Goes, Kilma Keilla Honorio de; Dias-Ribeiro, Eduardo; Araujo, Tulio Neves de; Oliveira, Patricia Teixeira de

    2007-01-01

    Fractures on the maxillofacial complex demand a detailed three dimensional comprehension of the damaged area. A correct radiographic evaluation is essential for the planning of the repair surgery. The surgical maneuvers involving this type of trauma depend on the knowledge of anatomy and an image diagnosis. The three dimensional images are especially important for the surgeons due to the fact that they allow a panoramic representation of the facial complex and of the fracture, facilitating the treatment planning. This study aims to report three clinical cases, as well as a literature review, discussing the utilization of three-dimensional tomography reconstructions on the diagnosis of the facial trauma. (author)

  20. Outcome of Concurrent Occult Hemothorax and Pneumothorax in Trauma Patients Who Required Assisted Ventilation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ismail Mahmood

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Background. The management and outcomes of occult hemopneumothorax in blunt trauma patients who required mechanical ventilation are not well studied. We aimed to study patients with occult hemopneumothorax on mechanical ventilation who could be carefully managed without tube thoracostomy. Methods. Chest trauma patients with occult hemopneumothorax who were on mechanical ventilation were prospectively evaluated. The presence of hemopneumothorax was confirmed by CT scanning. Hospital length of stay, complications, and outcome were recorded. Results. A total of 56 chest trauma patients with occult hemopneumothorax who were on ventilatory support were included with a mean age of 36 ± 13 years. Hemopneumothorax was managed conservatively in 72% cases and 28% underwent tube thoracostomy as indicated. 29% of patients developed pneumonia, 16% had Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS, and 7% died. Thickness of hemothorax, duration of mechanical ventilation, and development of ARDS were significantly associated with tube thoracostomy in comparison to no-chest tube group. Conclusions. The majority of occult hemopneumothorax can be carefully managed without tube thoracostomy in patients who required positive pressure ventilation. Tube thoracotomy could be restricted to those who had evidence of increase in the size of the hemothorax or pneumothorax on follow-up chest radiographs or developed respiratory compromise.

  1. Nonspecific motility disorders, irritable esophagus, and chest pain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krarup, Anne Lund; Liao, Donghua; Gregersen, Hans; Drewes, Asbjørn Mohr; Hejazi, Reza A; McCallum, Richard W; Vega, Kenneth J; Frazzoni, Marzio; Frazzoni, Leonardo; Clarke, John O; Achem, Sami R

    2013-10-01

    This paper presents commentaries on whether Starling's law applies to the esophagus; whether erythromycin affects esophageal motility; the relationship between hypertensive lower esophageal sphincter and vigorous achalasia; whether ethnic- and gender-based norms affect diagnosis and treatment of esophageal motor disorders; health care and epidemiology of chest pain; whether normal pH excludes esophageal pain; the role of high-resolution manometry in noncardiac chest pain; whether pH-impedance should be included in the evaluation of noncardiac chest pain; whether there are there alternative therapeutic options to PPI for treating noncardiac chest pain; and the usefulness of psychological treatment and alternative medicine in noncardiac chest pain. © 2013 New York Academy of Sciences.

  2. Rib Fracture Diagnosis in the Panscan Era.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Murphy, Charles E; Raja, Ali S; Baumann, Brigitte M; Medak, Anthony J; Langdorf, Mark I; Nishijima, Daniel K; Hendey, Gregory W; Mower, William R; Rodriguez, Robert M

    2017-12-01

    With increased use of chest computed tomography (CT) in trauma evaluation, traditional teachings in regard to rib fracture morbidity and mortality may no longer be accurate. We seek to determine rates of rib fracture observed on chest CT only; admission and mortality of patients with isolated rib fractures, rib fractures observed on CT only, and first or second rib fractures; and first or second rib fracture-associated great vessel injury. We conducted a planned secondary analysis of 2 prospectively enrolled cohorts of the National Emergency X-Radiography Utilization Study chest studies, which evaluated patients with blunt trauma who were older than 14 years and received chest imaging in the emergency department. We defined rib fractures and other thoracic injuries according to CT reports and followed patients through their hospital course to determine outcomes. Of 8,661 patients who had both chest radiograph and chest CT, 2,071 (23.9%) had rib fractures, and rib fractures were observed on chest CT only in 1,368 cases (66.1%). Rib fracture patients had higher admission rates (88.7% versus 45.8%; mean difference 42.9%; 95% confidence interval [CI] 41.4% to 44.4%) and mortality (5.6% versus 2.7%; mean difference 2.9%; 95% CI 1.8% to 4.0%) than patients without rib fracture. The mortality of patients with rib fracture observed on chest CT only was not statistically significantly different from that of patients with fractures also observed on chest radiograph (4.8% versus 5.7%; mean difference -0.9%; 95% CI -3.1% to 1.1%). Patients with first or second rib fractures had significantly higher mortality (7.4% versus 4.1%; mean difference 3.3%; 95% CI 0.2% to 7.1%) and prevalence of concomitant great vessel injury (2.8% versus 0.6%; mean difference 2.2%; 95% CI 0.6% to 4.9%) than patients with fractures of ribs 3 to 12, and the odds ratio of great vessel injury with first or second rib fracture was 4.4 (95% CI 1.8 to 10.4). Under trauma imaging protocols that commonly

  3. Traumatic ventricular septal defect in a 4-year-old boy after blunt chest injury

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yun Mi Kim

    2011-02-01

    Full Text Available Traumatic ventricular septal defect (VSD resulting from blunt chest injury is a very rare event. The mechanisms of traumatic VSD have been of little concern to dateuntil now, but two dominant theories have been described. In one, the rupture occurs due to acute compression of the heart; in the other, it is due to myocardial infarction of the septum. The clinical symptoms and timing of presentation are variable, so appropriate diagnosis can be difficult or delayed. Closure of traumatic VSD has been based on a combination of heart failure symptoms, hemodynamics, and defect size. Here, we present a case of a 4-year-old boy who presented with a traumatic VSD following a car accident. He showed normal cardiac structure at the time of injury, but after 8 days, his repeated echocardiography revealed a VSD. He was successfully treated by surgical closure of the VSD, and has been doing well up to the present. This report suggests that the clinician should pay great close attention to the patients injured by blunt chest trauma, keeping in mind the possibility of cardiac injury.

  4. Use of chest sonography in acute-care radiology☆

    Science.gov (United States)

    De Luca, C.; Valentino, M.; Rimondi, M.R.; Branchini, M.; Baleni, M. Casadio; Barozzi, L.

    2008-01-01

    Diagnosis of acute lung disease is a daily challenge for radiologists working in acute-care areas. It is generally based on the results of chest radiography performed under technically unfavorable conditions. Computed tomography (CT) is undoubtedly more accurate in these cases, but it cannot always be performed on critically ill patients who need continuous care. The use of thoracic ultrasonography (US) has recently been proposed for the study of acute lung disease. It can be carried out rapidly at the bedside and does not require any particularly sophisticated equipment. This report analyzes our experience with chest sonography as a supplement to chest radiography in an Emergency Radiology Unit. We performed chest sonography – as an adjunct to chest radiography – on 168 patients with acute chest pathology. Static and dynamic US signs were analyzed in light of radiographic findings and, when possible, CT. The use of chest US improved the authors' ability to provide confident diagnoses of acute disease of the chest and lungs. PMID:23397048

  5. Chest injuries associated with earthquakes: an analysis of injuries sustained during the 2008 Wen-Chuan earthquake in China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hu, Jia; Guo, Ying-Qiang; Zhang, Er-Yong; Tan, Jin; Shi, Ying-Kang

    2010-08-01

    The goal of this study was to analyze the patterns, therapeutic modalities, and short-term outcomes of patients with chest injuries in the aftermath of the Wen-Chuan earthquake, which occurred on May 12, 2008 and registered 8.0 on the Richter scale. Of the 1522 patients who were referred to the West China Hospital of Sichuan University from May 12 to May 27, 169 patients (11.1%) had suffered major chest injuries. The type of injury, the presence of infection, Abbreviated Injury Score (AIS 2005), New Injury Severity Score (NISS), treatment, and short-term outcome were all documented for each case. Isolated chest injuries were diagnosed in 129 patients (76.3%), while multiple injuries with a major chest trauma were diagnosed in 40 patients (23.7%). The mean AIS and the median NISS of the hospitalized patients with chest injuries were 2.5 and 13, respectively. The mortality rate was 3.0% (5 patients). Most of the chest injuries were classified as minor to moderate trauma; however, coexistent multiple injuries and subsequent infection should be carefully considered in medical response strategies. Coordinated efforts among emergency medical support groups and prior training in earthquake preparedness and rescue in earthquake-prone areas are therefore necessary for efficient evacuation and treatment of catastrophic casualties.

  6. Neurofibromas as bilateral cystic chest wall swellings. | Ugare ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    A 35 year old male farmer presented with soft bilateral posterior chest wall swellings. He had no similar swellings elsewhere. There were no associated symptoms, except cosmetic deformity and discomfort when he lies on his back. A clinical diagnosis of posterior chest wall lipomata was made. However at surgery, the two ...

  7. A multi-level modeling approach examining PTSD symptom reduction during prolonged exposure therapy: moderating effects of number of trauma types experienced, having an HIV-related index trauma, and years since HIV diagnosis among HIV-positive adults.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Junglen, Angela G; Smith, Brian C; Coleman, Jennifer A; Pacella, Maria L; Boarts, Jessica M; Jones, Tracy; Feeny, Norah C; Ciesla, Jeffrey A; Delahanty, Douglas L

    2017-11-01

    People living with HIV (PLWH) have extensive interpersonal trauma histories and higher rates of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) than the general population. Prolonged exposure (PE) therapy is efficacious in reducing PTSD across a variety of trauma samples; however, research has not examined factors that influence how PTSD symptoms change during PE for PLWH. Using multi-level modeling, we examined the potential moderating effect of number of previous trauma types experienced, whether the index trauma was HIV-related or not, and years since HIV diagnosis on PTSD symptom reduction during a 10-session PE protocol in a sample of 51 PLWH. In general, PTSD symptoms decreased linearly throughout the PE sessions. Experiencing more previous types of traumatic events was associated with a slower rate of PTSD symptom change. In addition, LOCF analyses found that participants with a non-HIV-related versus HIV-related index trauma had a slower rate of change for PTSD symptoms over the course of PE. However, analyses of raw data decreased this finding to marginal. Years since HIV diagnosis did not impact PTSD symptom change. These results provide a better understanding of how to tailor PE to individual clients and aid clinicians in approximating the rate of symptom alleviation. Specifically, these findings underscore the importance of accounting for trauma history and index trauma type when implementing a treatment plan for PTSD in PLWH.

  8. Vented chest seals for prevention of tension pneumothorax in a communicating pneumothorax.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kotora, Joseph G; Henao, Jose; Littlejohn, Lanny F; Kircher, Sara

    2013-11-01

    Tension pneumothorax accounts for 3%-4% of combat casualties and 10% of civilian chest trauma. Air entering a wound via a communicating pneumothorax rather than by the trachea can result in respiratory arrest and death. In such cases, the Committee on Tactical Combat Casualty Care advocates the use of unvented chest seals to prevent respiratory compromise. A comparison of three commercially available vented chest seals was undertaken to evaluate the efficacy of tension pneumothorax prevention after seal application. A surgical thoracostomy was created and sealed by placing a shortened 10-mL syringe barrel (with plunger in place) into the wound. Tension pneumothorax was achieved via air introduction through a Cordis to a maximum volume of 50 mL/kg. A 20% drop in mean arterial pressure or a 20% increase in heart rate confirmed hemodynamic compromise. After evacuation, one of three vented chest seals (HyFin(®), n = 8; Sentinel(®), n = 8, SAM(®), n = 8) was applied. Air was injected to a maximum of 50 mL/kg twice, followed by a 10% autologous blood infusion, and finally, a third 50 mL/kg air bolus. Survivors completed all three interventions, and a 15-min recovery period. The introduction of 29.0 (±11.5) mL/kg of air resulted in tension physiology. All three seals effectively evacuated air and blood. Hemodynamic compromise failed to develop with a chest seal in place. HyFin(®), SAM(®), and Sentinel(®) vented chest seals are equally effective in evacuating blood and air in a communicating pneumothorax model. All three prevented tension pneumothorax formation after penetrating thoracic trauma. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  9. Chest X-Ray (Chest Radiography)

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Resources Professions Site Index A-Z X-ray (Radiography) - Chest Chest x-ray uses a very small dose ... Radiography? What is a Chest X-ray (Chest Radiography)? The chest x-ray is the most commonly performed diagnostic ...

  10. Potential clinical impact of advanced imaging and computer-aided diagnosis in chest radiology: importance of radiologist's role and successful observer study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Feng

    2015-07-01

    This review paper is based on our research experience in the past 30 years. The importance of radiologists' role is discussed in the development or evaluation of new medical images and of computer-aided detection (CAD) schemes in chest radiology. The four main topics include (1) introducing what diseases can be included in a research database for different imaging techniques or CAD systems and what imaging database can be built by radiologists, (2) understanding how radiologists' subjective judgment can be combined with technical objective features to improve CAD performance, (3) sharing our experience in the design of successful observer performance studies, and (4) finally, discussing whether the new images and CAD systems can improve radiologists' diagnostic ability in chest radiology. In conclusion, advanced imaging techniques and detection/classification of CAD systems have a potential clinical impact on improvement of radiologists' diagnostic ability, for both the detection and the differential diagnosis of various lung diseases, in chest radiology.

  11. Significance of magnetic resonance imaging in the diagnosis of vertebral artery injury associated with blunt cervical spine trauma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yokota, Hiroyuki; Atsumi, Takahiro; Araki, Takashi; Fuse, Akira; Sato, Hidetaka; Kawai, Makoto; Yamamoto, Yasuhiro

    2007-01-01

    Vertebral artery injury associated with non-penetrating cervical trauma is rare. We report 11 cases of vertebral artery injury diagnosed with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) after blunt trauma to the cervical spine and discuss about the importance of MRI in the diagnosis of this injury. Seven cases were caused by motor vehicle accidents, three by diving accidents, and one by static compression of the neck. All of the patients had documented cervical spine fractures and dislocations. In three patients, the diagnosis of complete occlusion of the vertebral artery was made on the basis of MRI and digital subtraction angiography (DSA). In the other patients, mural injuries of the vertebral artery were demonstrated with DSA. These 11 patients presented with acute, nonspecific changes in neurological status. Two had infarctions of the cerebellum and brainstem. None were treated with anticoagulants. All of them survived and were discharged to other hospitals for physical and occupational therapy. Although DSA remains the gold standard for diagnosing vertebral artery injuries, MRI is a newer modality for assessing cervical cord injury, and it may be useful for evaluating the presence of vertebral injury after blunt cervical spine trauma. (author)

  12. Large pneumothorax in blunt chest trauma: Is a chest drain always necessary in stable patients? A case report

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Baig M. Idris

    2016-01-01

    Conclusion: Blunt traumatic large pneumothorax in a clinically stable patient can be managed conservatively. Current recommendations for tube placement may need to be reevaluated. This may reduce morbidity associated with chest tube thoracostomy.

  13. A rare case of splenic pseudoaneurysm in pediatric splenic blunt trauma patient: Review of diagnosis and management

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Roger Chen Zhu

    2015-01-01

    Discussion & conclusion: Questions still remain regarding the timing of repeat imaging for diagnosis of SPA following non-operative blunt splenic trauma, which patients should be imaged, and how to manage SPA upon diagnosis. More clinical study and basic science research is warranted to study the disease process of SPA in pediatric patient. We believe that our proposed management algorithm timely detect formation of delayed SPA formation and addresses the possible fatal disease course of pediatric SPA.

  14. Randomized clinical trial of pigtail catheter versus chest tube in injured patients with uncomplicated traumatic pneumothorax.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kulvatunyou, N; Erickson, L; Vijayasekaran, A; Gries, L; Joseph, B; Friese, R F; O'Keeffe, T; Tang, A L; Wynne, J L; Rhee, P

    2014-01-01

    Small pigtail catheters appear to work as well as the traditional large-bore chest tubes in patients with traumatic pneumothorax, but it is not known whether the smaller pigtail catheters are associated with less tube-site pain. This study was conducted to compare tube-site pain following pigtail catheter or chest tube insertion in patients with uncomplicated traumatic pneumothorax. This prospective randomized trial compared 14-Fr pigtail catheters and 28-Fr chest tubes in patients with traumatic pneumothorax presenting to a level I trauma centre from July 2010 to February 2012. Patients who required emergency tube placement, those who refused and those who could not respond to pain assessment were excluded. Primary outcomes were tube-site pain, as assessed by a numerical rating scale, and total pain medication use. Secondary outcomes included the success rate of pneumothorax resolution and insertion-related complications. Forty patients were enrolled. Baseline characteristics of 20 patients in the pigtail catheter group were similar to those of 20 patients in the chest tube group. No patient had a flail chest or haemothorax. Pain scores related to chest wall trauma were similar in the two groups. Patients with a pigtail catheter had significantly lower mean(s.d.) tube-site pain scores than those with a chest tube, at baseline after tube insertion (3.2(0.6) versus 7.7(0.6); P pneumothorax, use of a 14-Fr pigtail catheter is associated with reduced pain at the site of insertion, with no other clinically important differences noted compared with chest tubes. NCT01537289 (http://clinicaltrials.gov). © 2013 BJS Society Ltd. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  15. Chest imaging in aids - radiological findings with pathologic correlation: review article

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Qazi, A.S.

    1999-01-01

    Majority of life threatening illnesses in AIDS begin as pulmonary infections and a radiologist must always seriously consider the possibility of HIV infection and its manifestation when confronting an abnormal chest study in a young adult. Chest radiography may be normal in up to 15% of patients with proven pulmonary involvement or the radiographic picture may be confusing due to atypical appearances of opportunistic infections in immuno-compromised host, compounded further by concomitant appearance of neoplastic complications like Kaposi AIDS relate lymphoma. Cases with normal chest radiograph but high degree of suspicion of chest disease need to be evaluated by CT scan which has been found to be superior to chest radiography in identifying patient with and without chest disease and in the differential diagnosis of pulmonary complications in patients with AIDS. Radio nuclear scans and MRI have some role only in selected few cases. Combining imaging features with clinical presentation, CD4 lymphocyte count, previous treatment and underlying risk group can narrow down differential diagnosis, expedite treatment and may be helpful in preventing complications. (author)

  16. Computed tomography in trauma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Toombs, B.D.; Sandler, C.M.

    1987-01-01

    This book begins with a chapter dealing with the epidemiology and mechanisms of trauma. Trauma accounts for more lives lost in the United States than cancer and heart disease. The fact that 30%-40% of trauma-related deaths are caused by improper or delayed diagnoses or treatment emphasizes the importance of rapid and accurate methods to establish a diagnosis. Acute thoracic, abdominal, and pelvic trauma and their complications are discussed. A chapter on high-resolution CT of spinal and facial trauma and the role of three-dimensional reconstruction images is presented

  17. Computed tomography in trauma

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Toombs, B.D.; Sandler, C.M.

    1987-01-01

    This book begins with a chapter dealing with the epidemiology and mechanisms of trauma. Trauma accounts for more lives lost in the United States than cancer and heart disease. The fact that 30%-40% of trauma-related deaths are caused by improper or delayed diagnoses or treatment emphasizes the importance of rapid and accurate methods to establish a diagnosis. Acute thoracic, abdominal, and pelvic trauma and their complications are discussed. A chapter on high-resolution CT of spinal and facial trauma and the role of three-dimensional reconstruction images is presented.

  18. Pneumonia: challenges in the definition, diagnosis, and management of disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ottosen, Julie; Evans, Heather

    2014-12-01

    Defining health care-associated pneumonia, which includes both hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP) and ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), is problematic and controversial. Aspiration pneumonia is often included as a subtype of HAP but may be related to community-acquired aspiration events. Scoring systems exist and new surveillance guidelines have been implemented to make early recognition of pneumonia more precise and objective. Management and prevention should follow recommendations, including early empirical therapy, targeted therapy, and limited duration of treatment. Patients with trauma present a challenge to the diagnosis and management of pneumonia, because of increased risk for aspiration and underlying chest and pulmonary injury. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Diagnostic accuracy for X-ray chest in interstitial lung disease as confirmed by high resolution computed tomography (HRCT) chest

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Afzal, F.; Raza, S.; Shafique, M.

    2017-01-01

    Objective: To determine the diagnostic accuracy of x-ray chest in interstitial lung disease as confirmed by high resolution computed tomography (HRCT) chest. Study Design: A cross-sectional validational study. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Combined Military Hospital Rawalpindi, from Oct 2013 to Apr 2014. Material and Method: A total of 137 patients with clinical suspicion of interstitial lung disease (ILD) aged 20-50 years of both genders were included in the study. Patients with h/o previous histopathological diagnosis, already taking treatment and pregnant females were excluded. All the patients had chest x-ray and then HRCT. The x-ray and HRCT findings were recorded as presence or absence of the ILD. Results: Mean age was 40.21 ± 4.29 years. Out of 137 patients, 79 (57.66 percent) were males and 58 (42.34 percent) were females with male to female ratio of 1.36:1. Chest x-ray detected ILD in 80 (58.39 percent) patients, out of which, 72 (true positive) had ILD and 8 (false positive) had no ILD on HRCT. Overall sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and diagnostic accuracy of chest x-ray in diagnosing ILD was 80.0 percent, 82.98 percent, 90.0 percent, 68.42 percent and 81.02 percent respectively. Conclusion: This study concluded that chest x-ray is simple, non-invasive, economical and readily available alternative to HRCT with an acceptable diagnostic accuracy of 81 percent in the diagnosis of ILD. (author)

  20. [Liver trauma due to penetrating lesions: miscellanea, personal case series, clinical and CT findings].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Salzano, A; Nocera, V; De Rosa, A; Rossi, E; Carbone, M; Gatta, G; Vitale, L; Vigliotti, A

    2000-12-01

    Penetrating liver wounds are related to many causes and rank second after blunt abdominal and liver trauma. We will report the clinical and radiological findings of our personal series of patients with penetrating trauma, especially by firearms and stab and cut wounds. We will also try to define the diagnostic workup of these traumas, which is especially based on CT signs of liver damage and associated changes and which is of basic importance for following treatment, both surgical or conservative. In the last seven years we retrospectively reviewed 31 cases of penetrating liver trauma. The patients were 19 men and 12 women, ranging in age 18 to 73 (mean 42), with penetrating liver injuries from firearms (16 patients) and stab (9 cases) wounds; 6 patients had injuries from different causes. Abdominal CT was carried out in emergency with the CT Angiography (CTA) technique in all patients. In the patients with suspected chest and abdomen involvement CT was performed from the mid-chest for accurate assessment of diaphragm and lung bases and to exclude associated pleuropulmonary damage. Penetrating liver wounds were caused by firearms in 70% of cases, by stabbing in 12% and, in the extant 18%, by other causes such as home accidents, road and work traumas, and liver biopsy. In our series, the liver was most frequently involved, especially by firearms wounds; in our 16 cases the most frequent injuries were hemorrhagic tears. We found bullets in the liver in 6 cases. In one case of home accident the patient wounded himself while slicing bread with a long knife, which cut into the anterior abdominal wall and tore the anterior liver capsule, as seen at CTA. Penetrating wounds to liver and abdomen are less frequent than those to the chest. In the past decade the use of CT has changed the diagnostic and therapeutic approach to such injuries completely, decreasing the resort to explorative laparotomy and hepatorrhaphy. Indeed, CT provides a clear picture of the extent and

  1. Should bedside sonography be used first to diagnose pneumothorax secondary to blunt trauma?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Donmez, Halil; Tokmak, Turgut Tursem; Yildirim, Afra; Buyukoglan, Hakan; Ozturk, Mehmet; Yaşar Ayaz, Umit; Mavili, Ertugrul

    2012-01-01

    BACKGROUND.: Our purpose was to evaluate the effectiveness of bedside sonography (US) in the detection of pneumothorax secondary to blunt thoracic trauma. METHODS.: In this prospective study, 240 hemithoraces of 120 consecutive patients with multiple trauma were evaluated with chest radiographs (CXR) and bedside thoracic US for the diagnosis of pneumothorax. CT examinations were performed in 68 patients. Fifty-two patients who did not undergo CT examinations were excluded from the study. US examinations were performed independently at bedside by two radiologists who were not informed about CXR and CT findings. CXRs were interpreted by two radiologists who were unaware of the US and CT results. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy of CXR and US were calculated. RESULTS.: One hundred thirty-six hemithoraces were assessed in 68 patients. A total of 35 pneumothoraces were detected in 33 patients. On US, the diagnosis of pneumothorax was correct in 32 hemithoraces. In 98 hemithoraces without pneumothorax, US was normal. With US examination, there were three false-positive and three false-negative results. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and overall accuracy of US were 91.4%, 97%, 91.4%, 97%, and 97%, respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy of CXR were 82.7%, 89.7%, 68.5%, 95%, and 89.5%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS.: Bedside thoracic US is an accurate method that can be used in trauma patients instead of CXR for the detection of pneumothorax. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  2. Spinal trauma. An imaging approach

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cassar-Pullicino, V.N. [The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital, Oswestry, Shropshire (United Kingdom). Dept. of Radiology; Imhof, H. [University and General Hospital Vienna (Austria). Dept. of Radiodiagnostics

    2006-07-01

    The diagnosis of trauma to the spine - where the slightest oversight may have catastrophic results - requires a thorough grasp of the spectrum of resultant pathology as well as the imaging modalities used in making an accurate diagnosis. In Spinal Trauma, the internationally renowned team of experts provides a comprehensive, cutting-edge exposition of the current vital role of imaging in the diagnosis and treatment of injuries to the axial skeleton. Beginning with a valuable clinical perspective of spinal trauma, the book offers the reader a unique overview of the biomechanics underlying the pathology of cervical trauma. Acute trauma topics include: - Optimization of imaging modalities - Malalignment - signs and significance - Vertebral fractures - detection and implications - Classification of thoraco-lumbar fractures - rationale and relevance - Neurovascular injury. Distilling decades of clinical and teaching expertise, the contributors further discuss the current role of imaging in special focus topics, which include: - The pediatric spine - Sports injuries - The rigid spine - Trauma in the elderly - Vertebral collapse, benign and malignant - Spinal trauma therapy - Vertebral fractures and osteoporosis - Neuropathic spine. All throughout the book, the focus is on understanding the injury, and its implications and complications, through 'an imaging approach'. Lavishly illustrated with hundreds of superb MR images and CT scans, and clear full-color drawings, the authors conclude with a look into the future, defining clinical trends and research directions. Spinal Trauma - with its broad scope, practical imaging approach, and current focus - is designed to enhance confidence and accuracy, making it essential reading for clinicians and radiologists at all levels. (orig.)

  3. Spinal trauma. An imaging approach

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cassar-Pullicino, V.N.; Imhof, H.

    2006-01-01

    The diagnosis of trauma to the spine - where the slightest oversight may have catastrophic results - requires a thorough grasp of the spectrum of resultant pathology as well as the imaging modalities used in making an accurate diagnosis. In Spinal Trauma, the internationally renowned team of experts provides a comprehensive, cutting-edge exposition of the current vital role of imaging in the diagnosis and treatment of injuries to the axial skeleton. Beginning with a valuable clinical perspective of spinal trauma, the book offers the reader a unique overview of the biomechanics underlying the pathology of cervical trauma. Acute trauma topics include: - Optimization of imaging modalities - Malalignment - signs and significance - Vertebral fractures - detection and implications - Classification of thoraco-lumbar fractures - rationale and relevance - Neurovascular injury. Distilling decades of clinical and teaching expertise, the contributors further discuss the current role of imaging in special focus topics, which include: - The pediatric spine - Sports injuries - The rigid spine - Trauma in the elderly - Vertebral collapse, benign and malignant - Spinal trauma therapy - Vertebral fractures and osteoporosis - Neuropathic spine. All throughout the book, the focus is on understanding the injury, and its implications and complications, through 'an imaging approach'. Lavishly illustrated with hundreds of superb MR images and CT scans, and clear full-color drawings, the authors conclude with a look into the future, defining clinical trends and research directions. Spinal Trauma - with its broad scope, practical imaging approach, and current focus - is designed to enhance confidence and accuracy, making it essential reading for clinicians and radiologists at all levels. (orig.)

  4. The role of whole-body computed tomography in the diagnosis of thoracic injuries in severely injured patients - a retrospective multi-centre study based on the trauma registry of the German trauma society (TraumaRegister DGU®).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lang, Patricia; Kulla, Martin; Kerwagen, Fabian; Lefering, Rolf; Friemert, Benedikt; Palm, Hans-Georg

    2017-08-15

    Thoracic injuries are a leading cause of death in polytrauma patients. Early diagnosis and treatment are of paramount importance. Whole-body computed tomography (WBCT) has largely replaced traditional imaging techniques such as conventional radiographs and focused computed tomography (CT) as diagnostic tools in severely injured patients. It is still unclear whether WBCT has led to higher rates of diagnosis of thoracic injuries and thus to a change in outcomes. In a retrospective study based on the trauma registry of the German Trauma Society (TraumaRegister DGU ® ), we analysed data from 16,545 patients who underwent treatment in 59 hospitals between 2002 and 2012 (ISS ≥ 9). The 3 years preceding and the 3 years following the introduction of WBCT as a standard imaging modality for the investigation of severely injured patients were assessed for every hospital. Accordingly, patients were assigned to either the pre-WBCT or the WBCT group. We compared the numbers of thoracic injuries and the outcomes of patients before and after the routine use of WBCT. A total of 13,564 patients (pre-WBCT: n = 5005, WBCT: n = 8559) were included. Relevant thoracic injuries were detected in 47.8%. There were no major differences between the patient groups in injury severity (pre-WBCT: median ISS 21; WBCT: median ISS 22), injury patterns and demographics. After the introduction of WBCT, only minor changes were observed regarding the rates of most thoracic injuries. Clinically relevant injuries were pulmonary contusions (pre-WBCT: 18.5%; WBCT: 28.7%), injuries to the lung parenchyma (pre-WBCT: 12.6%; WBCT: 5.9%), multiple rib fractures (pre-WBCT: 10.6%; WBCT: 21.6%), and pneumothoraces (pre-WBCT: 17.3%; WBCT: 21.6%). The length of stay in the intensive care unit (pre-WBCT: 10.8 days; WBCT: 9.7 days) and in hospital (pre-WBCT: 26.2 days; WBCT: 23.3 days) decreased. There was no difference in overall mortality (pre-WBCT: 15.5%; WBCT: 15.6%). The routine use of WBCT in the

  5. Chest wall – a structure underestimated in ultrasonography. Part III: Neoplastic lesions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andrzej Smereczyński

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Chest wall neoplasms mainly include malignancies, metastatic in particular. Differential diagnosis should include clinical data; tumor location, extent, delineation; the degree of homogeneity; the presence of calcifications; the nature of bone destruction and the degree of vascularization. The aim of the paper is to present both the benefits and limitations of ultrasound for the diagnosis of chest wall neoplasms. The neoplastic process may be limited to the chest wall; it may spread from the chest wall into the intrathoracic structures or spread from the inside of the chest towards the chest wall. Benign tumors basically originate from vessels, nerves, bones, cartilage and soft tissues. In this paper, we briefly discuss malformations of blood and lymphatic vessels, glomus tumor as well as neurogenic tumors originating in the thoracic branches of the spinal nerves and the autonomic visceral system. Metastases, particularly lung, breast, kidney cancer, melanoma and prostate cancer, are predominant tumors of the osteocartilaginous structures of the chest wall. Plasma cell myeloma is also relatively common. The vast majority of these lesions are osteolytic, which is reflected in ultrasound as irregular cortical defects. Osteoblastic foci result only in irregular outline of the bone surface. Lipomas are the most common neoplasms of the chest wall soft tissue. Elastofibroma is another tumor with characteristic echostructure. Desmoid fibromatosis, which is considered to be a benign lesion with local aggressivity and recurrences after surgical resection, represents an interesting tumor form the clinical point of view. Ultrasonography represents an optimal tool for the monitoring of different biopsies of pathological lesions located in the chest wall. Based on our experiences and literature data, this method should be considered as a preliminary diagnosis of patients with chest wall tumors.

  6. Acquired ventricular septal defect: A rare sequel of blunt chest ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Ventricular septal defect (VSD) is the most common congenital cardiac lesion encountered worldwide. Only very rarely is it acquired, and causation through blunt injury in a child is extremely rare. A previously healthy 7‑year‑old boy suffered blunt chest trauma while at play. He presented 11 days later with features of acute ...

  7. New scoring system for intra-abdominal injury diagnosis after blunt trauma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shojaee Majid

    2014-02-01

    Full Text Available 【Abstract】Objective: An accurate scoring system for intra-abdominal injury (IAI based on clinical manifestation and examination may decrease unnecessary CT scans, save time, and reduce healthcare cost. This study is designed to provide a new scoring system for a better diagno- sis of IAI after blunt trauma. Methods: This prospective observational study was performed from April 2011 to October 2012 on patients aged above 18 years and suspected with blunt abdominal trauma (BAT admitted to the emergency department (ED of Imam Hussein Hospital and Shohadaye Hafte Tir Hospital. All patients were assessed and treated based on Advanced Trauma Life Support and ED protocol. Diagnosis was done according to CT scan findings, which was considered as the gold standard. Data were gathered based on patient's history, physical exam, ultrasound and CT scan findings by a general practitioner who was not blind to this study. Chisquare test and logistic regression were done. Factors with significant relationship with CT scan were imported in multivariate regression models, where a coefficient (β was given based on the contribution of each of them. Scoring system was developed based on the obtained total βof each factor. Results: Altogether 261 patients (80.1% male were enrolled (48 cases of IAI. A 24-point blunt abdominal trauma scoring system (BATSS was developed. Patients were divided into three groups including low (score<8, moderate (8≤score<12 and high risk (score≥12. In high risk group immediate laparotomy should be done, moderate group needs further assessments, and low risk group should be kept under observation. Low risk patients did not show positive CT-scans (specificity 100%. Conversely, all high risk patients had positive CT-scan findings (sensitivity 100%. The receiver operating characteristic curve indicated a close relationship between the results of CT scan and BATSS (sensitivity=99.3%. Conclusion: The present scoring system furnishes a

  8. Bronchoscopic examinations for evaluating chest abnormal shadows associated with hematological disease

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nakayama, Masayuki; Bando, Masashi; Kobayashi, Akira; Yamasawa, Hideaki; Ohno, Shoji; Sugiyama, Yukihiko

    2006-01-01

    Hematological diseases cause various respiratory complications, but their differentiation only by blood tests and chest radiology is often difficult. To clarify the characteristics of respiratory complications associated with hematological diseases and the diagnostic usefulness of bronchoscopic examinations for these complications, we clinically evaluated mainly underlying diseases, chest radiological findings, and bronchoscopic findings in 31 patients in whom we performed bronchoscopy for chest abnormal shadows associated with hematological disease during the past 13-year period. Among hematological disease, leukemia was most frequently observed, followed by malignant lymphoma and myelodysplastic syndrome. The most frequently observed chest CT findings were localized consolidation and diffuse Ground-glass opacity. Bronchoscopic examinations provided a definitive diagnosis in 20 patients (64.5%), and the most frequent diagnosis was pulmonary invasion by neoplastic cells (7 patients). Pulmonary invasion by neoplastic cells showed various images, and transbronchial lung biopsy : TBLB was useful for definitive diagnosis. After consideration of the general condition of patients and the risk of complications, bronchoscopy including TBLB should be performed when possible. (author)

  9. Endovascular interventions for multiple trauma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kinstner, C.; Funovics, M.

    2014-01-01

    In recent years interventional radiology has significantly changed the management of injured patients with multiple trauma. Currently nearly all vessels can be reached within a reasonably short time with the help of specially preshaped catheters and guide wires to achieve bleeding control of arterial und venous bleeding. Whereas bleeding control formerly required extensive open surgery, current interventional methods allow temporary vessel occlusion (occlusion balloons), permanent embolization and stenting. In injured patients with multiple trauma preinterventional procedural planning is performed with the help of multidetector computed tomography whenever possible. Interventional radiology not only allows minimization of therapeutic trauma but also a considerably shorter treatment time. Interventional bleeding control has developed into a standard method in the management of vascular trauma of the chest and abdomen as well as in vascular injuries of the upper and lower extremities when open surgical access is associated with increased risk. Additionally, pelvic trauma, vascular trauma of the superior thoracic aperture and parenchymal arterial lacerations of organs that can be at least partially preserved are primarily managed by interventional methods. In an interdisciplinary setting interventional radiology provides a safe and efficient means of rapid bleeding control in nearly all vascular territories in addition to open surgical access. (orig.) [de

  10. Radiographic evaluation of hepatic trauma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Federle, M.P.

    1985-01-01

    The incidence of significant abdominal trauma continues to rise and accounts currently for approximately 10 percent of the annual 130,000 trauma-related deaths in the United States. Over 60 percent of patients are from 10 to 40 years of age, with a striking predominance of males. Children are mostly victims of blunt trauma, while some large reviews of liver trauma in adults show a prevalence of penetrating injuries. Injury to the liver is second only to the spleen in incidence of intraperitoneal injuries. Morbidity and mortality from hepatic trauma are related to the mechanism and extent of injury. Penetrating injuries generally have a lower mortality, about 5 percent, especially if they are due to stab wounds or low velocity gunshot wounds. Shotgun and high velocity gunshot wounds may cause massive fragmentation of the liver and are associated with proportionately greater mortality. The mortality from blunt trauma is from 15 to 45 percent in many large series. Death from isolated liver injury is uncommon, but is usually due to uncontrolled hemorrhage. Injury to other abdominal organs is associated in many cases, as are injuries to the head, chest, and limbs. The extraabdominal injuries are frequently more apparent clinically, but may mask potentially life-threatening abdominal visceral injuries

  11. Outcomes of Complete Versus Partial Surgical Stabilization of Flail Chest.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nickerson, Terry P; Thiels, Cornelius A; Kim, Brian D; Zielinski, Martin D; Jenkins, Donald H; Schiller, Henry J

    2016-01-01

    Rib fractures are common after chest wall trauma. For patients with flail chest, surgical stabilization is a promising technique for reducing morbidity. Anatomical difficulties often lead to an inability to completely repair the flail chest; thus, the result is partial flail chest stabilization (PFS). We hypothesized that patients with PFS have outcomes similar to those undergoing complete flail chest stabilization (CFS). A prospectively collected database of all patients who underwent rib fracture stabilization procedures from August 2009 until February 2013 was reviewed. Abstracted data included procedural and complication data, extent of stabilization, and pulmonary function test results. Of 43 patients who underwent operative stabilization of flail chest, 23 (53%) had CFS and 20 (47%) underwent PFS. Anterior location of the fracture was the most common reason for PFS (45%). Age, sex, operative time, pneumonia, intensive care unit and hospital length of stay, and narcotic use were the same in both groups. Total lung capacity was significantly improved in the CFS group at 3 months. No chest wall deformity was appreciated on follow-up, and no patients underwent additional stabilization procedures following PFS. Despite advances in surgical technique, not all fractures are amenable to repair. There was no difference in chest wall deformity, narcotic use, or clinically significant impairment in pulmonary function tests among patients who underwent PFS compared with CFS. Our data suggest that PFS is an acceptable strategy and that extending or creating additional incisions for CFS is unnecessary.

  12. Spiral CT aortography: an efficient technique for the diagnosis of traumatic aortic injury

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wicky, S.; Capasso, P.; Meuli, R.; Schnyder, P.; Fischer, A.; Segesser, L. von

    1998-01-01

    The objective of this study was to assess the efficiency of spiral CT (SCT) aortography for diagnosing acute aortic lesions in blunt thoracic trauma patients. Between October 1992 and June 1997, 487 SCT scans of the chest were performed on blunt thoracic trauma patients. To assess aortic injury, the following SCT criteria were considered: hemomediastinum, peri-aortic hematoma, irregular aspect of the aortic wall, aortic pseudodiverticulum, intimal flap and traumatic dissection. Aortic injury was diagnosed on 14 SCT examinations (2.9 %), five of the patients having had an additional digital aortography that confirmed the aortic trauma. Twelve subjects underwent surgical repair of the thoracic aorta, which in all but one case confirmed the aortic injury. Two patients died before surgery from severe brain lesions. The aortic blunt lesions were confirmed at autopsy. According to the follow-up of the other 473 patients, we are aware of no false-negative SCT examination. Our limited series shows a sensitivity of 100 % and specificity of 99.8 % of SCT aortography in the diagnosis of aortic injury. It is concluded that SCT aortagraphy is an accurate diagnostic method for the assessment of aortic injury in blunt thoracic trauma patients. (orig.)

  13. Emergency Preservation and Resuscitation for Cardiac Arrest from Trauma (EPR-CAT)

    Science.gov (United States)

    2015-10-01

    Award Number: W81XWH-07-1-0682 TITLE: Emergency Preservation and Resuscitation for Cardiac Arrest from Trauma ( EPR -CAT) PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR...thoracotomy and open chest CPR, results in unacceptably low survival rates. Emergency Preservation and Resuscitation ( EPR ) was developed to rapidly preserve...further recommended that the trauma surgeons involved in the study obtain hospital privileges for cannulation for the EPR flush. This has been

  14. Misdiagnosed Chest Pain: Spontaneous Esophageal Rupture

    Science.gov (United States)

    Inci, Sinan; Gundogdu, Fuat; Gungor, Hasan; Arslan, Sakir; Turkyilmaz, Atila; Eroglu, Atila

    2013-01-01

    Chest pain is one of themost common complaints expressed by patients presenting to the emergency department, and any initial evaluation should always consider life-threatening causes. Esophageal rupture is a serious condition with a highmortality rate. If diagnosed, successful therapy depends on the size of the rupture and the time elapsed between rupture and diagnosis.We report on a 41-year-old woman who presented to the emergency department complaining of left-sided chest pain for two hours. PMID:27122690

  15. The role of CT in assessing chest pain

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Capsa, R.

    2012-01-01

    Full text: Objective: Thoracic pain represents the common feature of a wide range of diseases of different causes. Usually, chest pain requires a fast workup, in order to eliminate potentially hazardous underlying conditions. The objective of the paper consists of presenting the role of computerized tomography (CT) in assessing the different causes and conditions related to chest pain. Materials and methods: The educational presentation relies on current literature data and mostly on images obtained from patients admitted in the various clinics and departments of our hospital, suffering from chest pain as admittance condition or as a symptom appeared during the hospital stay. Results: There are various radiological and imaging options for assessing a patient with chest pain, with reference to the underlying condition, type of pain onset (acute or chronic), specific indications and contraindications. From all these, CT is considered one of the most useful imaging options, in terms of diagnosis accuracy, fast workup, cost and availability. This paper focuses on the role of CT, presenting the most important diseases and conditions related to potential occurrence of chest pain and the most specific CT signs and findings usually reported in this setting. Furthermore, the presentation separates acute and chronic conditions, presenting the actual imaging protocols employed in this circumstances. Finally, there are considerations regarding CT rule-out protocols used in patients with acute chest pain in emergency conditions. Conclusions: Fast and accurate diagnosis is crucial for patient outcome, often life-saving, but currently there is no single algorithm in the imaging assessment of chest pain, while choosing the best imaging option relies mainly on history, clinical and laboratory data. CT is one of the most important imaging options available in patients with both acute and chronic chest pain. CT rule-out techniques have still to establish their clear role in a

  16. Blunt trauma of bone structures of the chest--computed tomography vs multidetector computed tomography.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Petrović, Kosta; Turkalj, Ivan; Stojanović, Sanja; Vucaj-Cirilović, Viktorija; Nikolić, Olivera; Stojiljković, Dragana

    2013-08-01

    Computerized tomography (CT), especially multidetector CT (MDCT), has had a revolutionary impact in diagnostic in traumatized patients. The aim of the study was to identify and compare the frequency of injuries to bone structures of the thorax displayed with 5-mm-thick axial CT slices and thin-slice (MDCT) examination with the use of 3D reconstructions, primarily multiplanar reformations (MPR). This prospective study included 61 patients with blunt trauma submitted to CT scan of the thorax as initial assessment. The two experienced radiologists inde pendently and separately described the findings for 5-mm-thick axial CT slices (5 mm CT) as in monoslice CT examination; MPR and other 3D reconstructions along with thin-slice axial sections which were available in modern MDCT technologies. After describing thin-slice examination in case of disagreement in the findings, the examiners redescribed thin-slice examination together which was ultimately considered as a real, true finding. No statistically significant difference in interobserver evaluation of 5 mm CT examination was recorded (p > 0.05). Evaluation of fractures of sternum with 5 mm CT and MDCT showed a statistically significant difference (p tool that can describe higher number of bone fractures of the chest in traumatized patients compared to 5 mm CT, especially in the region of sternum for which a statistical significance was obtained using MPR. Moreover, the importance of MDCT is also set by easier and more accurate determination of the level of bone injury.

  17. Effects of exogenous ubiquitin in a polytrauma model with blunt chest trauma

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baker, Todd A.; Romero, Jacqueline; Bach, Harold H.; Strom, Joel A.; Gamelli, Richard L.; Majetschak, Matthias

    2013-01-01

    Objective To determine whether treatment with the CXC chemokine receptor (CXCR) 4 agonist ubiquitin results in beneficial effects in a polytrauma model consisting of bilateral femur fractures plus blunt chest trauma (Injury Severity Score 18-25). Design Treatment study. Setting Research Laboratory. Subjects Seventeen Yorkshire pigs. Interventions Intravenous (i.v.) injection of 1.5 mg/kg ubiquitin or albumin (=control) at 60 min after polytrauma. Measurements and Main Results Anesthetized, mechanically ventilated pigs underwent polytrauma, followed by a simulated 60 min shock phase. At the end of the shock phase ubiquitin or albumin were administered and animals were resuscitated to a mean arterial blood pressure of 70 mmHg until t = 420 min. After i.v. ubiquitin, ubiquitin plasma concentrations increased sixteen-fold to 2870 ± 1015 ng/mL at t = 90 min and decreased with t1/2 = 60 min. Endogenous plasma ubiquitin increased two-fold in the albumin group with peak levels of 359 ± 210 ng/mL. Plasma levels of the cognate CXCR4 ligand stromal cell-derived factor (SDF)-1α were unchanged in both groups. Ubiquitin treatment reduced arterial lactate levels and prevented a continuous decrease in arterial oxygenation, which occurred in the albumin group during resuscitation. Wet weight to dry weight ratios of the lung contralateral from the injury, heart, spleen and jejunum were lower with ubiquitin. With ubiquitin treatment, tissue levels of IL-8, IL-10, TNFα and SDF-1α were reduced in the injured lung and of IL-8 in the contralateral lung, respectively. Conclusions Administration of exogenous ubiquitin modulates the local inflammatory response, improves resuscitation, reduces fluid shifts into tissues and preserves arterial oxygenation after blunt polytrauma with lung injury. This study further supports the notion that ubiquitin is a promising protein therapeutic and implies CXCR4 as a drug target after polytrauma. PMID:22622399

  18. Chest CT findings in pediatric Wegener's granulomatosis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Levine, Daniel; Akikusa, Jonathan; Manson, David; Silverman, Earl; Schneider, Rayfel

    2007-01-01

    Although pulmonary involvement occurs in the majority of children and adolescents with Wegener's granulomatosis (WG), relatively little has been published regarding the CT imaging manifestations in this group of patients. To determine the frequency and types of chest CT abnormalities in active pediatric WG (pWG). The study was a retrospective examination of 29 chest CT examinations performed at diagnosis (n=14) and during disease flares (n=15) in 18 children. The most common abnormalities were nodules (seen in 90% of examinations), ground-glass opacification (52%), and air-space opacification (45%). Of examinations with nodules, 73% demonstrated nodules >5 mm in diameter and 69% demonstrated more than five nodules; 17% had cavitary lesions. The only abnormality with a significant difference in prevalence between diagnosis and disease flares was air-space opacification, present in 71% and 20%, respectively (P < 0.01). In accordance with the findings of published adult studies and at variance with those of prior pediatric studies, our findings indicate that chest CT abnormalities in active pWG are frequent, most commonly comprising nodules and ground-glass opacification, which may be difficult to detect on plain radiography. We therefore advocate the routine use of chest CT for all affected patients, both at the time of presentation and during disease flares. (orig.)

  19. Ethyl pyruvate ameliorates hepatic injury following blunt chest trauma and hemorrhagic shock by reducing local inflammation, NF-kappaB activation and HMGB1 release.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wagner, Nils; Dieteren, Scott; Franz, Niklas; Köhler, Kernt; Mörs, Katharina; Nicin, Luka; Schmidt, Julia; Perl, Mario; Marzi, Ingo; Relja, Borna

    2018-01-01

    The treatment of patients with multiple trauma including blunt chest/thoracic trauma (TxT) and hemorrhagic shock (H) is still challenging. Numerous studies show detrimental consequences of TxT and HS resulting in strong inflammatory changes, organ injury and mortality. Additionally, the reperfusion (R) phase plays a key role in triggering inflammation and worsening outcome. Ethyl pyruvate (EP), a stable lipophilic ester, has anti-inflammatory properties. Here, the influence of EP on the inflammatory reaction and liver injury in a double hit model of TxT and H/R in rats was explored. Female Lewis rats were subjected to TxT followed by hemorrhage/H (60 min, 35±3 mm Hg) and resuscitation/R (TxT+H/R). Reperfusion was performed by either Ringer`s lactated solution (RL) alone or RL supplemented with EP (50 mg/kg). Sham animals underwent all surgical procedures without TxT+H/R. After 2h, blood and liver tissue were collected for analyses, and survival was assessed after 24h. Resuscitation with EP significantly improved haemoglobin levels and base excess recovery compared with controls after TxT+H/R, respectively (ptrauma and hemorrhagic shock is associated with NF-κB. In particular, the beneficial anti-inflammatory effects of ethyl pyruvate seem to be regulated by the HMGB1/NF-κB axis in the liver, thereby, restraining inflammatory responses and liver injury after double hit trauma in the rat.

  20. Combined trauma in peaceful time

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chaika V.A.

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available In the article epidemiological features of combined trauma (CT, characteristic for the industrial region were summarized. 486 cases of CT were analyzed for the period from 2010 to 2012. Male patients dominated. 267 (54.9% patients were the age from 25 to 44 years. Most often the damage occurred in 2 anatomic regions (AR - 224 (46.1%, 3 AR - 177 (36.4% and 4 or more - 85 (17.5%. Trau¬matic brain injury - 94.2%, skeletal trauma - 70.6%, the trauma of the chest and abdomen - 68.4% and 35.7%, respectively prevailed. Injury of the abdominal cavity as a dominant one - 148 (30.5% occupied the first place. In 17 (3.5% cases it was impossible to establish the dominant damage. Mortality rate was directly dependent on the type of the trauma and patient's age. Maximum values were found in the combined brain injury and that of abdominal organs - 28.6%, as well as in the group of patients older than 60 years - 35.1%. From 2010 to 2012 the overall mortality decreased by 3.5%.

  1. Chest wall syndrome among primary care patients: a cohort study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Verdon François

    2007-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The epidemiology of chest pain differs strongly between outpatient and emergency settings. In general practice, the most frequent cause is the chest wall pain. However, there is a lack of information about the characteristics of this syndrome. The aims of the study are to describe the clinical aspects of chest wall syndrome (CWS. Methods Prospective, observational, cohort study of patients attending 58 private practices over a five-week period from March to May 2001 with undifferentiated chest pain. During a one-year follow-up, questionnaires including detailed history and physical exam, were filled out at initial consultation, 3 and 12 months. The outcomes were: clinical characteristics associated with the CWS diagnosis and clinical evolution of the syndrome. Results Among 24 620 consultations, we observed 672 cases of chest pain and 300 (44.6% patients had a diagnosis of chest wall syndrome. It affected all ages with a sex ratio of 1:1. History and sensibility to palpation were the keys for diagnosis. Pain was generally moderate, well localised, continuous or intermittent over a number of hours to days or weeks, and amplified by position or movement. The pain however, may be acute. Eighty-eight patients were affected at several painful sites, and 210 patients at a single site, most frequently in the midline or a left-sided site. Pain was a cause of anxiety and cardiac concern, especially when acute. CWS coexisted with coronary disease in 19 and neoplasm in 6. Outcome at one year was favourable even though CWS recurred in half of patients. Conclusion CWS is common and benign, but leads to anxiety and recurred frequently. Because the majority of chest wall pain is left-sided, the possibility of coexistence with coronary disease needs careful consideration.

  2. Chest wall syndrome among primary care patients: a cohort study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Verdon, François; Burnand, Bernard; Herzig, Lilli; Junod, Michel; Pécoud, Alain; Favrat, Bernard

    2007-09-12

    The epidemiology of chest pain differs strongly between outpatient and emergency settings. In general practice, the most frequent cause is the chest wall pain. However, there is a lack of information about the characteristics of this syndrome. The aims of the study are to describe the clinical aspects of chest wall syndrome (CWS). Prospective, observational, cohort study of patients attending 58 private practices over a five-week period from March to May 2001 with undifferentiated chest pain. During a one-year follow-up, questionnaires including detailed history and physical exam, were filled out at initial consultation, 3 and 12 months. The outcomes were: clinical characteristics associated with the CWS diagnosis and clinical evolution of the syndrome. Among 24 620 consultations, we observed 672 cases of chest pain and 300 (44.6%) patients had a diagnosis of chest wall syndrome. It affected all ages with a sex ratio of 1:1. History and sensibility to palpation were the keys for diagnosis. Pain was generally moderate, well localised, continuous or intermittent over a number of hours to days or weeks, and amplified by position or movement. The pain however, may be acute. Eighty-eight patients were affected at several painful sites, and 210 patients at a single site, most frequently in the midline or a left-sided site. Pain was a cause of anxiety and cardiac concern, especially when acute. CWS coexisted with coronary disease in 19 and neoplasm in 6. Outcome at one year was favourable even though CWS recurred in half of patients. CWS is common and benign, but leads to anxiety and recurred frequently. Because the majority of chest wall pain is left-sided, the possibility of coexistence with coronary disease needs careful consideration.

  3. Chest wall syndrome among primary care patients: a cohort study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Verdon, François; Burnand, Bernard; Herzig, Lilli; Junod, Michel; Pécoud, Alain; Favrat, Bernard

    2007-01-01

    Background The epidemiology of chest pain differs strongly between outpatient and emergency settings. In general practice, the most frequent cause is the chest wall pain. However, there is a lack of information about the characteristics of this syndrome. The aims of the study are to describe the clinical aspects of chest wall syndrome (CWS). Methods Prospective, observational, cohort study of patients attending 58 private practices over a five-week period from March to May 2001 with undifferentiated chest pain. During a one-year follow-up, questionnaires including detailed history and physical exam, were filled out at initial consultation, 3 and 12 months. The outcomes were: clinical characteristics associated with the CWS diagnosis and clinical evolution of the syndrome. Results Among 24 620 consultations, we observed 672 cases of chest pain and 300 (44.6%) patients had a diagnosis of chest wall syndrome. It affected all ages with a sex ratio of 1:1. History and sensibility to palpation were the keys for diagnosis. Pain was generally moderate, well localised, continuous or intermittent over a number of hours to days or weeks, and amplified by position or movement. The pain however, may be acute. Eighty-eight patients were affected at several painful sites, and 210 patients at a single site, most frequently in the midline or a left-sided site. Pain was a cause of anxiety and cardiac concern, especially when acute. CWS coexisted with coronary disease in 19 and neoplasm in 6. Outcome at one year was favourable even though CWS recurred in half of patients. Conclusion CWS is common and benign, but leads to anxiety and recurred frequently. Because the majority of chest wall pain is left-sided, the possibility of coexistence with coronary disease needs careful consideration. PMID:17850647

  4. The utility of chest X-ray as a screening tool for blunt thoracic aortic injury.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gutierrez, Adam; Inaba, Kenji; Siboni, Stefano; Effron, Zachary; Haltmeier, Tobias; Jaffray, Paul; Reddy, Sravanthi; Lofthus, Alexander; Benjamin, Elizabeth; Dubose, Joseph; Demetriades, Demetrios

    2016-01-01

    The early and accurate identification of patients with blunt thoracic aortic injury (BTAI) remains a challenge. Traditionally, a portable AP chest X-ray (CXR) is utilized as the initial screening modality for BTAI, however, there is controversy surrounding its sensitivity. The purpose of this study was to assess the sensitivity of CXR as a screening modality for BTAI. After IRB approval, all adult (≥18 yo) blunt trauma patients admitted to LAC+USC (01/2011-12/2013) who underwent CXR and chest CT were retrospectively reviewed. Final radiology attending CXR readings were reviewed for mediastinal abnormalities (widened mediastinum, mediastinal to chest width ratio greater than 0.25, irregular aortic arch, blurred aortic contour, opacification of the aortopulmonary window, and apical pleural haematoma) suggestive of aortic injury. Chest CT final attending radiologist readings were utilized as the gold standard for diagnosis of BTAI. The primary outcome analyzed was CXR sensitivity. A total of 3728 patients were included in the study. The majority of patients were male (72.6%); mean age was 43 (SD 20). Median ISS was 9 (IQR 4-17) and median GCS was 15 (IQR 14-15). The most common mechanism of injury was MVC (48.0%), followed by fall (20.6%), and AVP (16.9%). The total number of CXRs demonstrating a mediastinal abnormality was 200 (5.4%). Widened mediastinum was present on 191 (5.1%) of CXRs, blurred aortic contour on 10 (0.3%), and irregular aortic arch on 4 (0.1%). An acute aortic injury confirmed by chest CT was present in 17 (0.5%) patients. Only 7 of these with CT-confirmed BTAI had a mediastinal abnormality identified on CXR, for a sensitivity of 41% (95% CI: 19-67%). The results from this study suggest that CXR alone is not a reliable screening modality for BTAI. A combination of screening CXR and careful consideration of other factors, such as mechanism of injury, will be required to effectively discriminate between those who should and should not undergo chest

  5. Imaging of chest wall infections

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chelli Bouaziz, Mouna; Jelassi, Helmi; Chaabane, Skander; Ladeb, Mohamed Fethi; Ben Miled-Mrad, Khaoula

    2009-01-01

    A wide variety of infections can affect the chest wall including pyogenic, tuberculous, fungal, and some other unusual infections. These potentially life-threatening disorders are frequent especially among immunocompromised patients but often misdiagnosed by physical examination and radiographs. The purpose of this article is to describe the clinical and imaging features of these different chest wall infections according to the different imaging modalities with emphasis on ultrasound (US), computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The outcome of chest wall infection depends on early diagnosis, severity of the immunosuppression, offending organism, and extent of infection. Because clinical findings and laboratory tests may be not contributive in immunocompromised patients, imaging plays an important role in the early detection and precise assessment of the disease. US, CT, and MRI are all useful: bone destruction is more accurately detected with CT whereas soft tissue involvement are better visualized with US and MRI. CT and US are also used to guide percutaneous biopsy and drainage procedures. MR images are helpful in pre-operative planning of extensive chest wall infections. (orig.)

  6. Importance of multidetector CT imaging in multiple trauma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Linsenmaier, U.; Geyer, L.L.; Reiser, M.; Wirth, S.; Koerner, M.

    2014-01-01

    Diagnostic imaging of complex multiple trauma remains a challenge for any department providing modern emergency radiology (ER) service. An early and comprehensive approach for ER imaging is crucial for a priority-oriented and timely therapy concept with the aim of identifying potentially life-threatening injuries early and initiating appropriate treatment. The basic diagnostic approach still consists of focused ultrasound using focused assessment with sonography for trauma (FAST) and conventional radiography (CR), usually limited to a single supine chest x-ray for triaging patients undergoing immediate operations. Multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) has become established as early whole body CT (WBCT) as the undisputable diagnostic method. The detection rate of injuries by WBCT is outstanding and it improves the probability of survival by 20-25 % compared with all other previous methods. At the same time, the spatial and temporal resolution of MDCT was improved resulting in considerably shortened examination times but WBCT is still associated with a significant radiation exposure, even in the acute single use setting. Using modern scanner and dose reduction technology, including iterative reconstruction, a dose reduction of up to 40 % could be achieved. The substantial number of images in WBCT is another challenge; images must be processed priority-oriented, read and transferred to the picture archiving and communications system (PACS). For rapid diagnosis, volume image reading (VIR) offers additional options to keep the diagnostic process on time. Modern WBCT after multiple trauma is performed early, comprehensively and personalized so that WBCT improves the probability of survival by 20-25 %. (orig.) [de

  7. Oblique Chest X-Ray: An Alternative Way to Detect Pneumothorax.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tulay, Cumhur Murat; Yaldız, Sadık; Bilge, Adnan

    2018-03-16

    To identify occult pneumothorax with oblique chest X-ray (OCXR) in clinically suspected patients. In this retrospective study, we examined 1082 adult multitrauma patients who were admitted to our emergency service between January 2016 and January 2017. Clinical findings that suggest occult pneumothorax were rib fracture, flail chest, chest pain, subcutaneous emphysema, abrasion or ecchymosis and moderate to severe hypoxia in clinical parameters. All of these patients underwent anteroposterior chest X-ray (APCXR), but no pneumothorax could be detected. Upon this, OCXR was performed using mobile X-ray equipment. Traumatic pneumothorax was observed in 421 (38.9%) of 1082 patients. We applied OCXR to 26 multitrauma patients. Occult pneumothorax was evaluated at 22 patients (2.03%) in 1082 multitrauma patients. The 22 patients who had multitrauma occult pneumothorax on OCXR were internated at intensive care unit (ICU) and follow-up was done using OCXR and APCXR. OCXR can be an alternative imaging technique to identify occult pneumothorax in some trauma patients at emergency room and also follow period at ICU.

  8. Non-operative management of right side thoracoabdominal penetrating injuries--the value of testing chest tube effluent for bile.

    Science.gov (United States)

    De Rezende Neto, João Baptista; Guimarães, Tiago Nunes; Madureira, João Lopo; Drumond, Domingos André Fernandes; Leal, Juliana Campos; Rocha, Aroldo; Oliveira, Rodrigo Guimarães; Rizoli, Sandro B

    2009-05-01

    While mandatory surgery for all thoracoabdominal penetrating injuries is advocated by some, the high rate of unnecessary operations challenges this approach. However, the consequences of intrathoracic bile remains poorly investigated. We sought to evaluate the outcome of patients who underwent non-operative management of right side thoracoabdominal (RST) penetrating trauma, and the levels of bilirubin obtained from those patients' chest tube effluent. We managed non-operatively all stable patients with a single RST penetrating injury. Chest tube effluent samples were obtained six times within (4-8 h; 12-16 h; 20-24 h; 28-32 h; 36-40 h; 48 h and 72 h) of admission for bilirubin measurement and blood for complete blood count, bilirubin, alanine (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferases (AST) assays. For comparison we studied patients with single left thoracic penetrating injury. Forty-two patients with RST injuries were included. All had liver and lung injuries confirmed by CT scans. Only one patient failed non-operative management. Chest tube bilirubin peaked at 48 h post-trauma (mean 3.3+/-4.1 mg/dL) and was always higher than both serum bilirubin (pchest tube effluent from control group (27 patients with left side thoracic trauma). Serum ALT and AST were higher in RST injury patients (ptrauma appears to be safe. Bile originating from the liver injury reaches the right thoracic cavity but does not reflect the severity of that injury. The highest concentration was found in the patient failing non-operative management. The presence of intrathoracic bile in selected patients who sustain RST penetrating trauma, with liver injury, does not preclude non-operative management. Our study suggests that monitoring chest tube effluent bilirubin may provide helpful information when managing a patient non-operatively.

  9. Pulmonary effects of synthetic marijuana: chest radiography and CT findings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Berkowitz, Eugene A; Henry, Travis S; Veeraraghavan, Srihari; Staton, Gerald W; Gal, Anthony A

    2015-04-01

    The purpose of this article is to present the first chest radiographic and CT descriptions of organizing pneumonia in response to smoking synthetic marijuana. Chest radiographs showed a diffuse miliary-micronodular pattern. Chest CT images showed diffuse centrilobular nodules and tree-in-bud pattern and a histopathologic pattern of organizing pneumonia with or without patchy acute alveolar damage. This distinct imaging pattern should alert radiologists to include synthetic marijuana abuse in the differential diagnosis.

  10. No benefit to surgical fixation of flail chest injuries compared with modern comprehensive management: results of a retrospective cohort study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Farquhar, Jaclyn; Almarhabi, Yahya; Slobogean, Gerard; Slobogean, Bronwyn; Garraway, Naisan; Simons, Richard K; Hameed, S Morad

    2016-09-01

    Chest wall trauma is a common cause of morbidity and mortality. Recent technological advances and scientific publications have created a renewed interest in surgical fixation of flail chest. However, definitive data supporting surgical fixation are lacking, and its virtues have not been evaluated against modern, comprehensive management protocols. Consecutive patients undergoing rib fracture fixation with rib-specific locking plates at 2 regional trauma centres between July 2010 and August 2012 were matched to historical controls with similar injury patterns and severity who were managed nonoperatively with modern, multidisciplinary protocols. We compared short- and long-term outcomes between these cohorts. Our patient cohorts were well matched for age, sex, injury severity scores and abbreviated injury scores. The nonoperatively managed group had significantly better outcomes than the surgical group in terms of ventilator days (3.1 v. 6.1, p = 0.012), length of stay in the intensive care unit (3.7 v. 7.4 d, p = 0.009), total hospital length of stay (16.0 v. 21.9 d, p = 0.044) and rates of pneumonia (22% v. 63%, p = 0.004). There were no significant differences in long-term outcomes, such as chest pain or dyspnea. Although considerable enthusiasm surrounds surgical fixation of flail chest injuries, our analysis does not immediately validate its universal implementation, but rather encourages the use of modern, multidisciplinary, nonoperative strategies. The role of rib fracture fixation in the modern era of chest wall trauma management should ultimately be defined by prospective, randomized trials.

  11. Radiology of trauma to kidney and lower urinary tract

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dorph, S [Herlev University Hospital, Copenhagen (Denmark). Dept. of Radiology

    1996-12-31

    The contents are trauma to kidney, imaging of kidney trauma, management of renal trauma, delayed complications, trauma to the lower urinary tract, trauma to urinary bladder, radiologic diagnosis, ethiology of blunt bladder injury, urethal injury (6 refs.).

  12. Radiology of trauma to kidney and lower urinary tract

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dorph, S.

    1995-01-01

    The contents are trauma to kidney, imaging of kidney trauma, management of renal trauma, delayed complications, trauma to the lower urinary tract, trauma to urinary bladder, radiologic diagnosis, ethiology of blunt bladder injury, urethal injury (6 refs.)

  13. Clinical and Radiologic Predictive Factors of Rib Fractures in Outpatients With Chest Pain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Liang; McMahon, Colm J; Shah, Samir; Wu, Jim S; Eisenberg, Ronald L; Kung, Justin W

    To identify the clinical and radiologic predictive factors of rib fractures in stable adult outpatients presenting with chest pain and to determine the utility of dedicated rib radiographs in this population of patients. Following Institutional Review Board approval, we performed a retrospective review of 339 consecutive cases in which a frontal chest radiograph and dedicated rib series had been obtained for chest pain in the outpatient setting. The frontal chest radiograph and dedicated rib series were sequentially reviewed in consensus by two fellowship-trained musculoskeletal radiologists blinded to the initial report. The consensus interpretation of the dedicated rib series was used as the gold standard. Multiple variable logistic regression analysis assessed clinical and radiological factors associated with rib fractures. Fisher exact test was used to assess differences in medical treatment between the 2 groups. Of the 339 patients, 53 (15.6%) had at least 1 rib fracture. Only 20 of the 53 (37.7%) patients' fractures could be identified on the frontal chest radiograph. The frontal chest radiograph had a sensitivity of 38% and specificity of 100% when using the rib series as the reference standard. No pneumothorax, new mediastinal widening or pulmonary contusion was identified. Multiple variable logistic regression analysis of clinical factors associated with the presence of rib fractures revealed a significant association of trauma history (odds ratio 5.7 [p rib fractures in this population demonstrated a significant association of pleural effusion with rib fractures (odds ratio 18.9 [p rib fractures received narcotic analgesia in 47.2% of the cases, significantly more than those without rib fractures (21.3%, p rib fractures have a higher association with a history of minor trauma and age ≥40 in the adult population. Radiographic findings associated with rib fractures include pleural effusion. The frontal chest radiograph alone has low sensitivity in

  14. Speaking the same language: underestimating financial impact when using diagnosis-related group versus ICD-9-based definitions for trauma inclusion criteria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deppe, Sharon; Truax, Christopher B; Opalek, Judy M; Santanello, Steven A

    2009-04-01

    Hospital accounting methods use diagnosis-related group (DRG) data to identify patients and derive financial analyses and reports. The National Trauma Data Bank and trauma programs identify patients with trauma by International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Edition (ICD-9)-based definitions for inclusion criteria. These differing methods of identifying patients result in economic reports that vary significantly and fail to accurately identify the financial impact of trauma services. Routine financial data were collected for patients admitted to our Trauma Service from July 1, 2005 to June 30, 2006 using two methods of identifying the cases; by trauma DRGs and by trauma registry database inclusion criteria. The resulting data were compared and stratified to define the financial impact on hospital charges, reimbursement, costs, contribution to margin, downstream revenue, and estimated profit or loss. The results also defined the impact on supporting services, market share and total revenue from trauma admissions, return visits, discharged trauma alerts, and consultations. A total of 3,070 patients were identified by the trauma registry as meeting ICD-9 inclusion criteria. Trauma-associated DRGs accounted for 871 of the 3,070 admissions. The DRG-driven data set demonstrated an estimated profit of $800,000 dollars; the ICD-9 data set revealed an estimated 4.8 million dollar profit, increased our market share, and showed substantial revenue generated for other hospital service lines. Trauma DRGs fail to account for most trauma admissions. Financial data derived from DRG definitions significantly underestimate the trauma service line's financial contribution to hospital economics. Accurately identifying patients with trauma based on trauma database inclusion criteria better defines the business of trauma.

  15. Renal trauma imaging: Diagnosis and management. A pictorial review

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Szmigielski, Wojciech; Kumar, Rajendra; Al Hilli, Shatha; Ismail, Mostafa

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this review is to illustrate and discuss the spectrum of imaging findings, particularly computed tomography (CT), of blunt and penetrating renal trauma, based on our own materials, according to the American Association for Surgery of Trauma (AAST) renal injury grading scale. The article also indicates the conditions in which interventional radiology procedures can be applied for the management of renal trauma. Cases for this pictorial review were selected from the imaging material collected at the Radiology Department of Hamad Medical Corporation during a 14-year period from 1999 to 2012. The material includes 176 cases (164 males and 12 females) with confirmed blunt or penetrating renal trauma. Following abdominal trauma, all patients had a CT examination performed on admission to the hospital and/or during hospitalization. The most representative and illustrative cases of renal trauma were reviewed according to CT findings and were categorized according to the AAST grading system. The review describes a spectrum of imaging presentations with special emphasis on the 5 grades of renal injury on a CT according to the AAST scale. The most representative cases were illustrated and discussed with indications of possible interventional radiology treatment. Two groups of patients not included in the AAST grading system were presented separately: those with preexisting renal abnormalities and those with sustained iatrogenic renal injury. Proper application of renal trauma grading scale is essential for selecting the patients for conservative treatment, surgery or interventional radiology procedure

  16. Abdominal trauma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Giordany, B.R.

    1985-01-01

    Abdominal injury is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in childhood. Ten percent of trauma-related deaths are due to abdominal injury. Thousands of children are involved in auto accidents annually; many suffer severe internal injury. Child abuse is a second less frequent but equally serious cause of internal abdominal injury. The descriptions of McCort and Eisenstein and their associates in the 1960s first brought to attention the frequency and severity of visceral injury as important manifestations of the child abuse syndrome. Blunt abdominal trauma often causes multiple injuries; in the past, many children have been subjected to exploratory surgery to evaluate the extent of possible hidden injury. Since the advent of noninvasive radiologic imaging techniques including radionuclide scans and ultrasound and, especially, computed tomography (CT), the radiologist has been better able to assess (accurately) the extent of abdominal injury and thus allow conservative therapy in many cases. Penetrating abdominal trauma occurs following gunshot wounds, stabbing, and other similar injury. This is fortunately, a relatively uncommon occurrence in most pediatric centers and will not be discussed specifically here, although many principles of blunt trauma diagnosis are valid for evaluation of penetrating abdominal trauma. If there is any question that a wound has extended intraperitonelly, a sinogram with water-soluble contrast material allows quick, accurate diagnosis. The presence of large amounts of free intraperitoneal gas suggests penetrating injury to the colon or other gas-containing viscus and is generally considered an indication for surgery

  17. Pulmonary Contusion in Mechanically Ventilated Subjects After Severe Trauma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dhar, Sakshi Mathur; Breite, Matthew D; Barnes, Stephen L; Quick, Jacob A

    2018-03-13

    Pulmonary contusions are thought to worsen outcomes. We aimed to evaluate the effects of pulmonary contusion on mechanically ventilated trauma subjects with severe thoracic injuries and hypothesized that contusion would not increase morbidity. We conducted a single-center, retrospective review of 163 severely injured trauma subjects (injury severity score ≥ 15) with severe thoracic injury (chest abbreviated injury score ≥ 3), who required mechanical ventilation for >24 h at a verified Level 1 trauma center. Subject data were analyzed for those with radiographic documentation of pulmonary contusion and those without. Statistical analysis was performed to determine the effects of coexisting pulmonary contusion in severe thoracic trauma. Pulmonary contusion was present in 91 subjects (55.8%), whereas 72 (44.2%) did not have pulmonary contusions. Mean chest abbreviated injury score (3.54 vs 3.47, P = .53) and mean injury severity score (32.6 vs 30.2, P = .12) were similar. There was no difference in mortality (11 [12.1%] vs 9 [12.5%], P > .99) or length of stay (16.29 d vs 17.29 d, P = .60). Frequency of ventilator-associated pneumonia was comparable (43 [47.3%] vs 32 [44.4%], P = .75). Subjects with contusions were more likely to grow methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus in culture (33 vs 10, P = .004) as opposed to Pseudomonas aeruginosa in culture (6 vs 13, P = .003). Overall, no significant differences were noted in mortality, length of stay, or pneumonia rates between severely injured trauma subjects with and without pulmonary contusions. Copyright © 2018 by Daedalus Enterprises.

  18. Thoracic injury rule out criteria and NEXUS chest in predicting the risk of traumatic intra-thoracic injuries: A diagnostic accuracy study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Safari, Saeed; Radfar, Fatemeh; Baratloo, Alireza

    2018-05-01

    This study aimed to compare the diagnostic accuracy of NEXUS chest and Thoracic Injury Rule out criteria (TIRC) models in predicting the risk of intra-thoracic injuries following blunt multiple trauma. In this diagnostic accuracy study, using the 2 mentioned models, blunt multiple trauma patients over the age of 15 years presenting to emergency department were screened regarding the presence of intra-thoracic injuries that are detectable via chest x-ray and screening performance characteristics of the models were compared. In this study, 3118 patients with the mean (SD) age of 37.4 (16.9) years were studied (57.4% male). Based on TIRC and NEXUS chest, respectively, 1340 (43%) and 1417 (45.4%) patients were deemed in need of radiography performance. Sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of TIRC were 98.95%, 62.70%, 21.19% and 99.83%. These values were 98.61%, 59.94%, 19.97% and 99.76%, for NEXUS chest, respectively. Accuracy of TIRC and NEXUS chest models were 66.04 (95% CI: 64.34-67.70) and 63.50 (95% CI: 61.78-65.19), respectively. TIRC and NEXUS chest models have proper and similar sensitivity in prediction of blunt traumatic intra-thoracic injuries that are detectable via chest x-ray. However, TIRC had a significantly higher specificity in this regard. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Tuberculous mediastinal Lymphadenopathy; Simulating other mediastinal tumors in chest films

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Park, Jae Hyung; Kim, Kun Sang; Kim, Chu Wan [Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

    1973-12-15

    Radiographs of chest may hardly differentiate the tuberculous mediastinal lymphadenopathy in children or adults with other mediastinal tumors sometimes when markedly enlarged mediastinal lymph node is the main findings of tuberculosis. 6 cases of tuberculous mediastinal lymphadenopathy was collected which was confirmed histopathologically and of which findings in chest films are indistinguishable with other mediastinal tumors especially lymphomas. After analysing the findings in chest films, the followings: could be found 1) The locations of the lesions are mainly hilar and superior mediastinum but there are also many variations of them, so there are of no significance in differential diagnosis with other mediastinal tumors. 2) The contours of the lesions are unilateral in 5 cases, and scalloped or diffusely widened appearance in all cases. 3) When mediastinal lymphadenopathy is the sole evidence of tuberculosis and even when additional lesions are noted in lung parenchyme or pleura, occasional lyes chest x-ray only is insufficient to differentiate the lesion with other mediastinal tumors including lymphomas. 4) Considering the frequency of the tuberculosis in this country, whenever one suspects any mediastinal tumors in chest x-ray one should include the possibility of tuberculous mediastinal lymphadenopathy in differential diagnosis.

  20. Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery for acute thoracic trauma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michael Goodman

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Operative intervention for thoracic trauma typically requires thoracotomy. We hypothesized that thoracoscopy may be safely and effectively utilized for the acute management of thoracic injuries. Materials and Methods: The Trauma Registry of a Level I trauma center was queried from 1999 through 2010 for all video-assisted thoracic procedures within 24 h of admission. Data collected included initial vital signs, operative indication, intraoperative course, and postoperative outcome. Results: Twenty-three patients met inclusion criteria: 3 (13% following blunt injury and 20 (87% after penetrating trauma. Indications for urgent thoracoscopy included diaphragmatic/esophageal injury, retained hemothorax, ongoing hemorrhage, and open/persistent pneumothorax. No conversions to thoracotomy were required and no patient required re-operation. Mean postoperative chest tube duration was 2.9 days and mean length of stay was 5.6 days. Conclusion: Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery is safe and effective for managing thoracic trauma in hemodynamically stable patients within the first 24 h post-injury.

  1. Is trauma in Switzerland any different? epidemiology and patterns of injury in major trauma - a 5-year review from a Swiss trauma centre.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heim, C; Bosisio, F; Roth, A; Bloch, J; Borens, O; Daniel, R T; Denys, A; Oddo, M; Pasquier, M; Schmidt, S; Schoettker, P; Zingg, T; Wasserfallen, J B

    2014-01-01

    Switzerland, the country with the highest health expenditure per capita, is lacking data on trauma care and system planning. Recently, 12 trauma centres were designated to be reassessed through a future national trauma registry by 2015. Lausanne University Hospital launched the first Swiss trauma registry in 2008, which contains the largest database on trauma activity nationwide. Prospective analysis of data from consecutively admitted shock room patients from 1 January 2008 to 31 December 2012. Shock room admission is based on physiology and mechanism of injury, assessed by prehospital physicians. Management follows a surgeon-led multidisciplinary approach. Injuries are coded by Association for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine (AAAM) certified coders. Over the 5 years, 1,599 trauma patients were admitted, predominantly males with a median age of 41.4 years and median injury severity score (ISS) of 13. Rate of ISS >15 was 42%. Principal mechanisms of injury were road traffic (40.4%) and falls (34.4%), with 91.5% blunt trauma. Principal patterns were brain (64.4%), chest (59.8%) and extremity/pelvic girdle (52.9%) injuries. Severe (abbreviated injury scale [AIS] score ≥ 3) orthopaedic injuries, defined as extremity and spine injuries together, accounted for 67.1%. Overall, 29.1% underwent immediate intervention, mainly by orthopaedics (27.3%), neurosurgeons (26.3 %) and visceral surgeons (13.9%); 43.8% underwent a surgical intervention within the first 24 hours and 59.1% during their hospitalisation. In-hospital mortality for patients with ISS >15 was 26.2%. This is the first 5-year report on trauma in Switzerland. Trauma workload was similar to other European countries. Despite high levels of healthcare, mortality exceeds published rates by >50%. Regardless of the importance of a multidisciplinary approach, trauma remains a surgical disease and needs dedicated surgical resources.

  2. Occult pneumothorax in the blunt trauma patient: tube thoracostomy or observation?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilson, Heather; Ellsmere, James; Tallon, John; Kirkpatrick, Andrew

    2009-09-01

    The term occult pneumothorax (OP) describes a pneumothorax that is not suspected on the basis of either clinical examination or initial chest radiography, but is subsequently detected on computed tomography (CT) scan. The optimal management of OP in the blunt trauma setting remains controversial. Some physicians favour placement of a thoracostomy tube for patients with OP, particularly those undergoing positive pressure ventilation (PPV), while others favour close observation without chest drainage. This study was conducted both to determine the incidence of OP and to describe its current treatment status in the blunt trauma population at a Canadian tertiary trauma centre. Of interest were the rates of tube thoracostomy vs. observation without chest drainage and their respective outcomes. A retrospective review was conducted of the Nova Scotia Trauma Registry. The data on all consecutive blunt trauma patients between October 1994 and March 2003 was reviewed. Outcome measures evaluated include length of stay, discharge status-dead vs. alive, intervention and time to intervention (tube thoracostomy and its relation to institution of PPV). Direct comparison was made between the OP with tube thoracostomy group and OP without tube thoracostomy group (observation or control group). They were compared in terms of their baseline characteristics and outcome measures. In 1881 consecutive blunt trauma patients over a 102-month period there were 307 pneumothoraces of which 68 were occult. Thirty five patients with OP underwent tube thoracostomy, 33 did not. Twenty nine (82.8%) with tube thoracostomy received positive pressure ventilation (PPV), as did 16 (48.4%) in the observation group. Mean injury severity score (ISS) for tube thoracostomy and observation groups were similar (25.80 and 22.39, p=0.101) whereas length of stay (LOS) was different (17.4 and 10.0 days, p=0.026). Mortality was similar (11.4% and 9.1%). There were no tension pneumothoraces. The natural history of

  3. Improved detection of pulmonary nodules on energy-subtracted chest radiographs with a commercial computer-aided diagnosis software: comparison with human observers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Szucs-Farkas, Zsolt; Patak, Michael A.; Yuksel-Hatz, Seyran; Ruder, Thomas; Vock, Peter

    2010-01-01

    To retrospectively analyze the performance of a commercial computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) software in the detection of pulmonary nodules in original and energy-subtracted (ES) chest radiographs. Original and ES chest radiographs of 58 patients with 105 pulmonary nodules measuring 5-30 mm and images of 25 control subjects with no nodules were randomized. Five blinded readers evaluated firstly the original postero-anterior images alone and then together with the subtracted radiographs. In a second phase, original and ES images were analyzed by a commercial CAD program. CT was used as reference standard. CAD results were compared to the readers' findings. True-positive (TP) and false-positive (FP) findings with CAD on subtracted and non-subtracted images were compared. Depending on the reader's experience, CAD detected between 11 and 21 nodules missed by readers. Human observers found three to 16 lesions missed by the CAD software. CAD used with ES images produced significantly fewer FPs than with non-subtracted images: 1.75 and 2.14 FPs per image, respectively (p=0.029). The difference for the TP nodules was not significant (40 nodules on ES images and 34 lesions in non-subtracted radiographs, p = 0.142). CAD can improve lesion detection both on energy subtracted and non-subtracted chest images, especially for less experienced readers. The CAD program marked less FPs on energy-subtracted images than on original chest radiographs. (orig.)

  4. Dental Trauma Guide

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andreasen, Jens Ove; Lauridsen, Eva; Gerds, Thomas Alexander

    2012-01-01

    Diagnosis and treatment for traumatic dental injuries are very complex owing to the multiple trauma entities represented by six luxation types and nine fracture types affecting both the primary and the permanent dentition. When it is further considered that fracture and luxation injuries are often...... problems in selecting proper treatment for some of these trauma types. To remedy this situation, an Internet-based knowledge base consisting of 4000 dental trauma cases with long-term follow up is now available to the public and the professions on the Internet using the address http://www.Dental...

  5. CT scanning in pediatric head trauma: correlation of clinical features with CT scan diagnosis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Arkoncel, Mary Ann P.; Posadas, Ma. Belen A.

    1997-01-01

    A retrospective review was conducted on 205 cases of pediatric head trauma for which cranial computed tomography scans were done at the Makati Medical Center, to determine which clinical features might positively predict an abnormality on CT scan. The clinical findings of loss of consciousness, GCS < 12, vomiting headache, seizures, and focal abnormalities on Neurologic Examination were significantly associated with abnormal findings on CT scan. However, a significant discrepancy does exist as to how accurately clinical findings do in fact predict normal and abnormal CT scan findings. Such a discrepancy allows us to conclude that a more liberal use of CT Scanning in cases of pediatric head trauma must be stressed to insure proper diagnosis. This study shows that when a patient presents with the aforementioned positive signs and symptoms, or with a focal neurologic deficit, or in combination, a 60-100 % positive prediction of abnormal CT Scan can be made. However, prediction of normal CT Scan is only 0-40%. (Author)

  6. Blunt abdominal trauma in children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schonfeld, Deborah; Lee, Lois K

    2012-06-01

    This review will examine the current evidence regarding pediatric blunt abdominal trauma and the physical exam findings, laboratory values, and radiographic imaging associated with the diagnosis of intra-abdominal injuries (IAI), as well as review the current literature on pediatric hollow viscus injuries and emergency department disposition after diagnosis. The importance of the seat belt sign on physical examination and screening laboratory data remains controversial, although screening hepatic enzymes are recommended in the evaluation of nonaccidental trauma to identify occult abdominal organ injuries. Focused Assessment with Sonography for Trauma (FAST) has modest sensitivity for hemoperitoneum and IAI in the pediatric trauma patient. Patients with concern for undiagnosed IAI, including bowel injury, may be considered for hospital admission and serial abdominal exams without an increased risk of complications, if an exploratory laparotomy is not performed emergently. Although the FAST exam is not recommended as the sole screening tool to rule out IAI in hemodynamically stable trauma patients, it may be used in conjunction with the physical exam and laboratory findings to identify children at risk for IAI. Children with a normal physical exam and normal abdominal CT may not require routine hospitalization after blunt abdominal trauma.

  7. Combat Trauma Lessons Learned from Military Operations of 2001 - 2013

    Science.gov (United States)

    2015-03-09

    suspected tension pneumothorax  Longer needle for needle decompression  Lateral approach for needle decompression  Vented chest seals for open...Defense Health Board Combat Trauma Lessons Learned from Military Operations of 2001-2013 March 9, 2015 OFFICE OF THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF...

  8. OBLITERATION OF COSTOPHRENIC ANGTE IN A PLAIN X - RAY CHEST

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ramakrishna

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available Obliteration of Costophrenicangle can be a pleural effusion in a majority of cases but other causes of mediastinal masses , aortic aneurysm , postpneumonectomy , lung and pleural masses and consolidation and collapse of the lung can cause shadows mimicking pleural effusion. It is always essential to take the help of later al and decubitus films , ultrasonography of chest and CT scan chest to come to a proper diagnosis. Inadvertent pleural aspiration basing on chest x - ray PA alone can have disastrous consequences

  9. Analysis of chest image performance in patients with acute chlorine poisoning

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu Liangqing; Zheng Jiangang; Yang Keyu; Wu Honglin; Tang Qingfang; Wu Huiming

    2012-01-01

    Objective: To explore chest image features of patients with acute chlorine poisoning and their clinical values. Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed by chest image features of 117 patients with acute chlorine poisoning. All the patients were classified according to Chinese management of occupational acute chlorine poisoning diagnosis standard. Results: Sixty-five patients presented with stimulus response, and normal or both lungs had a little more white on their chest images. Thirty-one cases presented with minor poisoning, and without or the texture of both lungs was increased, and grew hazy and coarse.seventeen cases were moderate, and small sample vague shadows or single or multiple limitations lamellar shadow. Four cases were serious,and two lungs had extensive and density homogeneous consolidation shadow. Conclusions: It would make the diagnosis and assessment of chlorine poisoning more easier based on the combination of chest image features, the clear history of acute chlorine poisoning and relevant clinical performance. (authors)

  10. Structured diagnostic imaging in patients with multiple trauma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Linsenmaier, U.; Rieger, J.; Rock, C.; Pfeifer, K.J.; Reiser, M.; Kanz, K.G.

    2002-01-01

    Purpose. Development of a concept for structured diagnostic imaging in patients with multiple trauma.Material and methods. Evaluation of data from a prospective trial with over 2400 documented patients with multiple trauma. All diagnostic and therapeutic steps, primary and secondary death and the 90 days lethality were documented.Structured diagnostic imaging of multiple injured patients requires the integration of an experienced radiologist in an interdisciplinary trauma team consisting of anesthesia, radiology and trauma surgery. Radiology itself deserves standardized concepts for equipment, personnel and logistics to perform diagnostic imaging for a 24-h-coverage with constant quality.Results. This paper describes criteria for initiation of a shock room or emergency room treatment, strategies for documentation and interdisciplinary algorithms for the early clinical care coordinating diagnostic imaging and therapeutic procedures following standardized guidelines. Diagnostic imaging consists of basic diagnosis, radiological ABC-rule, radiological follow-up and structured organ diagnosis using CT. Radiological trauma scoring allows improved quality control of diagnosis and therapy of multiple injured patients.Conclusion. Structured diagnostic imaging of multiple injured patients leads to a standardization of diagnosis and therapy and ensures constant process quality. (orig.) [de

  11. Clinical study for findings of pneumothoraces on the plain chest film

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Saeki, Mitsuaki

    1988-11-01

    Two hundred and fifty cases of pneumothoraces in intensive care unit in the last seven and half years were reviewed. In intensive care unit, plain chest films are likely to be obtained on supine position that make difficult to diagnose pneumothorax, because of unusual distribution of air in the pleural cavity. In our institution, they were obtained in supine position in 75 %. In our series of 207 supine chest cases, anteromedial and subpulmonic recesses were involved in 11.6 % and 25.6 % respectively. Twenty five cases (12 %) showed unusual location of air. Several radiographic signs have been previously described to recognize this condition. Basilar hyperlucency was most reliable sign (100 %) of detecting subpulmonary pneumothorax. Double diaphragm sign (60 %) and distinct cardiac apex (46.6 %) were also reliable signs. Almost all cases of unusual pneumothoraces were recognized on supine radiographs. However, CT was useful to detect unusual pneumothorax in patient with pneumomediastinum or pulmonary contusion. Unusual pneumothoraces were seen only in traumatized patients. The importance of careful observation of plain chest films to detecte unusual pneumothorax in patients with blunt chest trauma was stressed.

  12. [Cohort study on the prevalence and risk factors of late pulmonary complications in adults following a closed minor chest trauma].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Plourde, Miville; Émond, Marcel; Lavoie, André; Guimont, Chantal; Le Sage, Natalie; Chauny, Jean-Marc; Bergeron, Éric; Vanier, Laurent; Moore, Lynne; Allain-Boulé, Nadine; Fratu, Ramona-Florina; Dufresne, Maryline

    2013-11-01

    The objectives of this study are to determine the prevalence, risk factors, and time to onset of delayed hemothorax and pneumothorax in adults who experienced a minor blunt thoracic trauma. A prospective cohort of 450 consecutive patients was recruited. Eligible patients had to be over 16 years of age, consulted within 72 hours for a trauma, and available for outpatient follow-up at 2, 7, and 14 days posttrauma. The clinical outcome investigated was the presence of delayed pneumothorax or hemothorax on the follow-up chest x-ray. Delayed hemothorax occurred in 11.8% (95% CI 8.8-14.8), and delayed pneumothorax occurred in 0.9% (95% CI 0.2-2.3) of participants. During the 14-day follow-up period, 87.0% of these delayed complications developed in the first week. In the multivariate analysis, the only statistically significant risk factor for delayed complications was the location of fractures on the x-ray of the hemithorax. The adjusted odds ratio was 1.52 (95% CI 0.62-3.73) for the lower ribs (tenth to twelfth rib), 3.11 (95% CI 1.60-6.08) for the midline ribs (sixth to ninth rib), and 5.05 (95% CI 1.80-14.19) for the upper ribs (third to fifth rib) versus patients with no fractures. The presence of at least one rib fracture between the third and ninth rib on the x-ray of the hemithorax is a significant risk factor for delayed hemothorax and pneumothorax.

  13. Diagnosis of IPA in HIV: The role of the chest X-ray and radiologist

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zaspel, Uta; Denning, David W.; Lemke, Arne J.; Roettgen, Rainer; Bittner, Roland; Oestmann, Joerg W.; Greene, Reginald; Schuermann, Dirk; Maschmeyer, Georg; Ruhnke, Markus; Herbrecht, Raoul; Ribaud, Patricia; Lortholary, Olivier; Zonderland, Harmien; Rabe, Klaus F.; Neumann, Klaus

    2004-01-01

    The role of clinical information and chest film for the discrimination between invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) and its differential diagnoses in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection was studied. The diagnostic performance of clinical information and chest film alone and in combination was studied for eight internists and eight radiologists with regular exposure to IPA patients. The multicenter case sample consisted of 25 patients with proven IPA and 25 with other pulmonary diseases typical for HIV. The cases were presented on a CD-ROM. Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) methodology was employed. With clinical information alone, internists achieved the highest diagnostic performance (area under curve/AUC=0.84). Viewing the chest films did not contribute to their performance (AUC=0.80, P=0.26). The radiologist's performance on the basis of viewing the chest film (AUC=0.75) increased significantly (P=0.012) when clinical information (AUC=0.83) was supplied. IPA cases with characteristic radiological appearance were correctly identified in 90% with chest film. For radiologists with regular exposure to HIV patients, chest films hold relevant information and contribute to the determination in cases with characteristic radiological appearance. Overall and especially in cases with less characteristic radiological appearance, they have significant profit from full access to the clinical data. For internists with regular exposure to HIV patients, chest films do not provide information essential for the verification or differentiation of potential IPA. (orig.)

  14. Computed tomographic diagnosis of the splenic trauma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Suzuki, Masayuki; Takashima, Tsutomu; Funaki, Hiromi; Uogishi, Makoto; Isobe, Tsugimasa; Kanno, Shoichi; Ushitani, Kenji; Fuchuh, Kosei; Sakita, Tsuyoshi.

    1985-01-01

    Three cases (3-year-old, 51-year-old and 17-year-old males) in which splenic trauma was diagnosed by plain computed tomography (CT) are presented. CT images revealed retention of fluid in the abdominal cavity in all cases and clear splenic hematoma and laceration in one case. CT is superior in the visualization of splenic hematoma and hemorrhage in the abdominal cavity accompanied by splenic trauma. It should, however, be noted that the presence of laceration is frequently difficult to detect due to artifacts. Indication for surgery should be decided by evaluating the severity of clinical symptoms. (Namekawa, K.)

  15. Computed tomographic diagnosis of the splenic trauma

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Suzuki, Masayuki; Takashima, Tsutomu; Funaki, Hiromi; Uogishi, Makoto; Isobe, Tsugimasa; Kanno, Shoichi; Ushitani, Kenji; Fuchuh, Kosei; Sakita, Tsuyoshi

    1985-01-01

    Three cases (3-year-old, 51-year-old and 17-year-old males) in which splenic trauma was diagnosed by plain computed tomography (CT) are presented. CT images revealed retention of fluid in the abdominal cavity in all cases and clear splenic hematoma and laceration in one case. CT is superior in the visualization of splenic hematoma and hemorrhage in the abdominal cavity accompanied by splenic trauma. It should, however, be noted that the presence of laceration is frequently difficult to detect due to artifacts. Indication for surgery should be decided by evaluating the severity of clinical symptoms. (Namekawa, K.).

  16. Penetrating trauma; experience from Southwest Finland between 1997 and 2011, a retrospective descriptive study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Inkinen, J; Kirjasuo, K; Gunn, J; Kuttila, K

    2015-08-01

    (1) There is lack of epidemiological data on penetrating trauma in European countries. (2) In Finland most acts of violence are performed under the influence of alcohol. The aim of this study was to determine the incidence and types of injury, treatment and survival of patients with penetrating injuries to the thorax and abdomen. This study includes two trauma centers with combined catchment area of approximately 720,000 patients. Patients were identified from patient records using ICD-10 codes. Patients were predominantly young males and they were stab victims. The average yearly incidence for penetrating trauma was 0.9/100,000 inhabitants. Thirteen percent of patients admitted gave a negative toxicology screen or breathalyzer test for alcohol. Twenty two percent of wounds were self-inflicted. Fifty five percent of patients received a chest tube and 30 patients (23%) underwent emergent thoracotomy after sustaining critical injury to the thorax. A considerable proportion (12%) of the study group also later died due to alcohol and/or violence, highlighting the psychosocial co-morbidity among penetrating trauma victims. Chest tube insertion is a skill to be mastered by any on-call physician. This simple procedure can be potentially life-saving. There is also a call for assessment of psychosocial well-being among penetrating trauma victims.

  17. Improving the prognostic value of blunt abdominal trauma scoring ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Radiographic imaging showed positive signs of trauma (air under diaphragm, elevated copula of diaphragm) in 45 patients. Conclusion Adding a simple radiographic film in the erect position of the abdomen and lower chest markedly improved the prognostic value of the different scoring systems included. Ann Pediatr Surg ...

  18. Isolated jejunal perforation following blunt abdominal trauma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ahmet Pergel

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available Isolated perforation of the jejunum, following blunt abdominaltrauma, is extremely rare. These injuries aredifficult to diagnose because initial clinical signs are frequentlynonspecific and a delay in treatment increasesmortality and morbidity of the patients. Conventional radiogramsare often inadequate for diagnosing this subsetof trauma. For an accurate and timely diagnosis, thepossibility of bowel perforation and the need for repeatedexaminations should be kept in mind. Herein, we presenta 28-year-old man with isolated jejunal perforation followingblunt abdominal trauma.Key words: Blunt abdominal trauma, isolated jejunal perforation,early diagnosis

  19. Conservative Management of Azygous Vein Rupture in Blunt Thoracic Trauma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cian McDermott

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available We report a case of successful conservative management of acute traumatic rupture of the azygous vein. A 48-year-old male was involved in a motor vehicle collision. Primary survey revealed acute right intrathoracic haemorrhage. He remained haemodynamically stable with rapid infusion of warmed crystalloid solution and blood. Computed tomographic imaging showed a contained haematoma of the azygous vein. The patient was managed conservatively in the intensive care. Azygous vein laceration resulting from blunt thoracic trauma is a rare condition that carries a universally poor prognosis unless the appropriate treatment is instituted. Clinical features include acute hypovolaemic shock, widened mediastinum on chest radiograph, and a right-sided haemothorax. Haemodynamic collapse necessitates immediate resuscitative thoracotomy. Interest in this injury stems from the severity of the clinical condition, difficulty in diagnosis, the onset of a rapidly deteriorating clinical course all of which can be promptly reversed by timely and appropriate treatment. Although it is a rare cause of intramediastinal haemorrhage, it is proposed that a ruptured azygous vein should be considered in every trauma case causing a right-sided haemothorax or widened mediastinum. All cases described in the literature to date involved operative management. We present a case of successful conservative management of this condition.

  20. Diagnosis of diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis with chest computed tomography: inter-observer agreement

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Oudkerk, S.F.; Jong, Pim A. de; Attrach, M.; Luijkx, T.; Buckens, C.F.; Mali, W.P.T.M. [University Medical Center Utrecht, Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Utrecht (Netherlands); Oner, F.C.; Verlaan, J.J. [University Medical Center Utrecht, Department of Orthopedics, Utrecht (Netherlands); Resnick, D.L. [University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, Division of Musculoskeletal Radiology, Department of Radiology, San Diego, CA (United States); Vliegenthart, R. [University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Center for Medical Imaging - North East Netherlands, Groningen (Netherlands); University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Radiology, Groningen (Netherlands)

    2017-01-15

    To evaluate and improve the interobserver agreement for the CT-based diagnosis of diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH). Six hundred participants of the CT arm of a lung cancer screening trial were randomly divided into two groups. The first 300 CTs were scored by five observers for the presence of DISH based on the original Resnick criteria for radiographs. After analysis of the data a consensus meeting was organised and the criteria were slightly modified regarding the definition of 'contiguous', the definition of 'flowing ossifications' and the viewing plane and window level. Subsequently, the second set of 300 CTs was scored by the same observers. κ ≥ 0.61 was considered good agreement. The 600 male participants were on average 63.5 (SD 5.3) years old and had smoked on average 38.0 pack-years. In the first round κ values ranged from 0.32 to 0.74 and 7 out of 10 values were below 0.61. After the consensus meeting the interobserver agreement ranged from 0.51 to 0.86 and 3 out of 10 values were below 0.61. The agreement improved significantly. This is the first study that reports interobserver agreement for the diagnosis of DISH on chest CT, showing mostly good agreement for modified Resnick criteria. (orig.)

  1. Gastrointestinal injuries from blunt abdominal trauma in children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ameh, E A; Nmadu, P T

    2004-04-01

    To determine the pattern, presentation and outcome of gastrointestinal injuries from blunt abdominal trauma in children. A retrospective study. Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria, Nigeria. Twenty one children managed for gastrointestinal injuries from blunt trauma from 1984-2002. The pattern, presentation, management and outcome of gastrointestinal injuries from blunt trauma. In the 19 year period, 1984-2002, 92 children were treated for blunt abdominal trauma, 21(23%) of who had injuries to the gastrointestinal tract. Three presenting after 24 hours had evidence of peritonitis. In six children with isolated gastrointestinal tract (GIT) injury who presented within two hours, abdominal signs were vague at initial evaluation but became marked over a few hours at repeated examination. In eight with associated intraabdominal injuries, abdominal signs were marked at initial examination and five presented with shock. Free peritoneal air was present on plain abdominal and chest radiograph in three of ten patients, dilated bowel loops in six and fluid levels in one. Diagnostic peritoneal lavage or paracentesis was positive in four patients with isolated GIT injuries and eight with associated intraabdominal injuries. There were 24 injuries in the 21 patients consisting of 15 perforations, five contusions, two seromuscular tears, and two gangrene from mesenteric injury. The small intestine was involved in 11 patients, colon six, stomach five, duodenum one and rectum one. Seven (35%) patients had associated extraabdominal injuries. Treatment consisted of simple closure of perforations, over sewing of contusions, resection and anastomosis for gangrene and repair with protective stoma for the rectal injury. One patient each developed prolonged ileus, urinary tract infection and chest infection, respectively postoperatively. Mortality was 28%, all of who had associated intraabdominal or extraabdominal injuries. Gastrointestinal injury from blunt abdominal trauma in

  2. Protocol for a multicentre randomised feasibility STUdy evaluating the impact of a prognostic model for Management of BLunt chest wall trauma patients: STUMBL trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Battle, Ceri; Abbott, Zoe; Hutchings, Hayley A; O'Neill, Claire; Groves, Sam; Watkins, Alan; Lecky, Fiona E; Jones, Sally; Gagg, James; Body, Richard; Evans, Philip A

    2017-07-10

    A new prognostic model has been developed and externally validated, the aim of which is to assist in the management of the blunt chest wall trauma patient in the emergency department (ED). A definitive randomised controlled trial (impact trial) is required to assess the clinical and cost effectiveness of the new model before it can be accepted in clinical practice. The purpose of this trial is to assess the feasibility and acceptability of such a definitive trial and inform its design. This feasibility trial is designed to test the methods of a multicentre, cluster-randomised (stepped- wedge) trial, with a substantial qualitative component. Four EDs in England and Wales will collect data for all blunt chest wall trauma patients over a 5-month period; in the initial period acting as the controls (normal care), and in the second period acting as the interventions (in which the new model will be used). Baseline measurements including completion of the SF-12v2 will be obtained on initial assessment in the ED. Patient outcome data will then be collected for any subsequent hospitalisations. Data collection will conclude with a 6-week follow-up completion of two surveys (SF-12v2 and Client Services Receipt Inventory). Analysis of outcomes will focus on feasibility, acceptability and trial processes and will include recruitment and retention rates, attendance at clinician training rates and use of model in the ED. Qualitative feedback will be obtained through clinician interviews and a research nurse focus group. An evaluation of the feasibility of health economics outcomes data will be completed. Wales Research Ethics Committee 6 granted approval for the trial in September 2016. Patient recruitment will commence in February 2017. Planned dissemination is through publication in a peer-reviewed Emergency Medicine Journal , presentation at appropriate conferences and to stakeholders at professional meetings. ISRCTN95571506; Pre-results. © Article author(s) (or their

  3. Criteria for applying imaging diagnosis and initial management for pediatric head trauma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shiomi, Naoto; Okada, Michiko; Echigo, Tadashi; Oka, Hideki; Hino, Akihiko

    2010-01-01

    It may be difficult to perform CT for pediatric head trauma because of body movement and radiation exposure. Imaging application criteria were established, in which patients diagnosed as less likely to have an intracranial lesion meeting the criteria were not indicated for imaging and subjected to course observation at home, and this policy was explained to the parents. When consent was obtained, patients were followed up at home, and we checked on the condition by making a phone call 4-8 hours after injury. The patients were 103 infants aged 15 years or younger brought to the emergency medical care center of our hospital between May and August 2008. Imaging was basically indicated for cases of traffic accidents, falls from a high level, those brought in by ambulance, referred cases, and cases with disturbance of consciousness, neurologically abnormal findings, vomiting on examination, and trauma requiring X-ray examination in addition to that for the head. However, apart from these cases, imaging was not required. Imaging was not necessary for 94% of infant cases. The parents were convinced by the explanation and selected course observation at home in 94% of cases for which imaging was judged as unnecessary. None of the patients required re-examination based on the conditions reported in phone calls to homes. Imaging diagnosis for pediatric head trauma is not always necessary, and its application should be decided on after consultation. When no imaging is performed, this should be fully explained at the initial treatment before selecting course observation at home. Checking on the child's condition by making a phone call several hours after injury is useful for both patients and physicians. (author)

  4. Hepatic enzymes have a role in the diagnosis of hepatic injury after blunt abdominal trauma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tan, Ker-Kan; Bang, Shieh-Ling; Vijayan, Appasamy; Chiu, Ming-Terk

    2009-09-01

    Delayed diagnosis of patients with severe liver injuries is associated with an adverse outcome. As computed tomographic (CT) scan is not always available in the management of blunt abdominal trauma worldwide, the present study was undertaken to determine the accuracy of selected haematological markers in predicting the presence of hepatic injury and its severity after blunt abdominal trauma. A retrospective review of all patients with blunt abdominal trauma presented to our institution over a 3-year period was performed. Patients were excluded if they suffered penetrating injuries, died in the emergency department or if the required blood tests were not performed within 24h of the accident. The grading of the hepatic injury was verified using CT scans or surgical findings. Ninety-nine patients with blunt abdominal trauma had the required blood tests performed and were included in the study. The median injury severity score was 24 (range 4-75). Fifty-five patients had hepatic injuries, of which 47.3% were minor (Grades I and II) while 52.7% had major hepatic injuries (Grades III-V). There were no patients with Grade VI injuries. A raised ALT was strongly associated with presence of hepatic injuries (OR, 109.8; 95% CI, 25.81-466.9). This relation was also seen in patients with raised AST>2 times (OR, 21.33; 95% CI, 7.27-62.65). This difference was not seen in both bilirubin and ALP. ALT>2 times normal was associated with major hepatic injuries (OR, 7.15; 95% CI, 1.38-37.14; p=0.012) while patients with simultaneous raised AST>2 times and ALT>2 times had a stronger association for major hepatic injuries (OR, 8.44; 95% CI, 1.64-43.47). Abnormal transaminases levels are associated with hepatic injuries after blunt abdominal trauma. Patients with ALT and AST>2 times normal should be assumed to possess major hepatic trauma and managed accordingly. Patients with normal ALT, AST and LDH are unlikely to have major liver injuries.

  5. Chest Radiographs for Pediatric TB Diagnosis: Interrater Agreement and Utility

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    G. Kaguthi

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available The chest radiograph (CXR is considered a key diagnostic tool for pediatric tuberculosis (TB in clinical management and endpoint determination in TB vaccine trials. We set out to compare interrater agreement for TB diagnosis in western Kenya. A pediatric pulmonologist and radiologist (experts, a medical officer (M.O, and four clinical officers (C.Os with basic training in pediatric CXR reading blindly assessed CXRs of infants who were TB suspects in a cohort study. C.Os had access to clinical findings for patient management. Weighted kappa scores summarized interrater agreement on lymphadenopathy and abnormalities consistent with TB. Sensitivity and specificity of raters were determined using microbiologically confirmed TB as the gold standard (n=8. A total of 691 radiographs were reviewed. Agreement on abnormalities consistent with TB was poor; k=0.14 (95% CI: 0.10–0.18 and on lymphadenopathy moderate k=0.26 (95% CI: 0.18–0.36. M.O [75% (95% CI: 34.9%–96.8%] and C.Os [63% (95% CI: 24.5%–91.5%] had high sensitivity for culture confirmed TB. TB vaccine trials utilizing expert agreement on CXR as a nonmicrobiologically confirmed endpoint will have reduced specificity and will underestimate vaccine efficacy. C.Os detected many of the bacteriologically confirmed cases; however, this must be interpreted cautiously as they were unblinded to clinical features.

  6. Technetium-99m-Sestamibi in the diagnosis of acute chest pain

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gilleece, T.; Salehi, N.; Better, N.

    1998-01-01

    Full text: A 45-year-old male was admitted to coronary care with a two-day history of recurrent chest pain. Despite maximal medical therapy, pain persisted. Examination and ECG with pain, were normal, suspicion of ischaemia was moderately high but coronary angiography was not immediately available. Technetium-99m-Sestamibi was prepared at the start of the day according to the standard preparation protocol (Du Pont). Coronary Care informed the Nuclear Medicine Department immediately the patient experienced a further episode of chest pain. Technetium-99m-Sestamibi was administered in coronary care, 4.30 minutes after being advised of the onset of further chest pain. Images were acquired 60 minute post-injection; 15 minutes after the patient had been given 200 mL of milk. A triple-headed gamma camera was used to acquire SPECT images over a 1200 arc, 30 frames of 30 seconds using a 64 x 64 matrix. The patient was laying prone with arms raised out of the field of view. Images showed a normal distribution of technetium-99m -Sestamibi throughout the myocardium. Due to ongoing clinical suspicion by the treating physician, coronary angiography was subsequently performed. This showed normal coronary arteries. Medical therapy was ceased and the patient discharged the next day. We concluded that the chest pain at the time of injection was not ischaemic. Previous trials had shown a 95% sensitivity for this method of diagnosing ischaemia. This method permits a novel and simple technique for diagnosing myocardial ischaemia and obviating the need for cardiac catheterization in this group of patients

  7. A Prospective, Randomized Investigation of Plasma First Resuscitation for Traumatic Hemorrhage and Attenuation of Acute Coagulopathy of Trauma

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-05-01

    COMBAT study staff was made aware of a code 10 trauma return of a male patient who sustained an anterior left- chest stab wound. Paramedics enrolled the...Attenuation of Acute Coagulopathy of Trauma . PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Ernest E. Moore, MD CONTRACTING ORGANIZATION: University of Colorado Denver...Randomized Investigation of “Plasma First Resuscitation” for Traumatic Hemorrhage and Attenuation of Acute Coagulopathy of Trauma . 5b. GRANT NUMBER

  8. Computer-aided diagnosis workstation and database system for chest diagnosis based on multi-helical CT images

    Science.gov (United States)

    Satoh, Hitoshi; Niki, Noboru; Mori, Kiyoshi; Eguchi, Kenji; Kaneko, Masahiro; Kakinuma, Ryutarou; Moriyama, Noriyuki; Ohmatsu, Hironobu; Masuda, Hideo; Machida, Suguru; Sasagawa, Michizou

    2006-03-01

    Multi-helical CT scanner advanced remarkably at the speed at which the chest CT images were acquired for mass screening. Mass screening based on multi-helical CT images requires a considerable number of images to be read. It is this time-consuming step that makes the use of helical CT for mass screening impractical at present. To overcome this problem, we have provided diagnostic assistance methods to medical screening specialists by developing a lung cancer screening algorithm that automatically detects suspected lung cancers in helical CT images and a coronary artery calcification screening algorithm that automatically detects suspected coronary artery calcification. We also have developed electronic medical recording system and prototype internet system for the community health in two or more regions by using the Virtual Private Network router and Biometric fingerprint authentication system and Biometric face authentication system for safety of medical information. Based on these diagnostic assistance methods, we have now developed a new computer-aided workstation and database that can display suspected lesions three-dimensionally in a short time. This paper describes basic studies that have been conducted to evaluate this new system. The results of this study indicate that our computer-aided diagnosis workstation and network system can increase diagnostic speed, diagnostic accuracy and safety of medical information.

  9. [Pancreatic trauma].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arvieux, C; Guillon, F; Létoublon, Ch; Oughriss, M

    2003-10-01

    Early diagnosis of pancreatic trauma has always been challenging because of the lack of correlation between the initial clinical symptomatology, radiologic and laboratory findings, and the severity of the injury. Thanks to the improved performance of spiral CT scanning and magnetic resonance pancreatography, it is now often possible to make an early diagnosis of pancreatic contusion, to localize the site of the injury, and (most importantly) to identify injury to the main pancreatic duct which has major implications for the management of the case. When the trauma victim is unstable, radiologic work-up may be impossible and urgent laparotomy is required. Control of hemorrhage is the primary concern here and a damage control approach with packing may be appropriate; if the pancreatic head has been destroyed, a pancreaticoduodenectomy with delayed reconstruction may be required. If the trauma victim is stable, the treatment strategy will be governed by a variety of parameters--age, clinical condition, associated local anatomic findings (pancreatitis, injury to the duodenum or biliary tract), involvement of the pancreatic duct, and localization of the injury within the gland (to right or left of the mesenteric vessels).

  10. Anterior chest wall tuberculous abscess: a case report

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Papavramidis Theodossis S

    2007-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract The granulomatous inflammation of tuberculosis usually involves the lungs and the hilar lymph nodes. Musculoskeletal tuberculosis (TB occurs in 1–3% of patients with TB, while TB of the chest wall constitutes 1% to 5% of all cases of musculoskeletal TB. Furthermore, nowadays it is rarer to find extrapulmonary TB in immunocompetent rather that non-immunocompetent patients. The present case reports a fifty-six-year-old immunocompetent man with an anterior chest wall tuberculous abscess. The rarity of the present case relates both to the localization of the tuberculous abscess, and to the fact that the patient was immunocompetent. The diagnosis of musculoskeletal tuberculous infection remains a challenge for clinicians and requires a high index of suspicion. The combination of indolent onset of symptoms, positive tuberculin skin test, and compatible radiographic findings, strongly suggests the diagnosis. TB, however, must be confirmed by positive culture or histologic proof. Prompt diagnosis and treatment are important to prevent serious bone and joint destruction.

  11. Prehospital trauma care reduces mortality. Ten-year results from a time-cohort and trauma audit study in Iraq

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Murad Mudhafar K

    2012-02-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Blunt implementation of Western trauma system models is not feasible in low-resource communities with long prehospital transit times. The aims of the study were to evaluate to which extent a low-cost prehospital trauma system reduces trauma deaths where prehospital transit times are long, and to identify specific life support interventions that contributed to survival. Methods In the study period from 1997 to 2006, 2,788 patients injured by land mines, war, and traffic accidents were managed by a chain-of-survival trauma system where non-graduate paramedics were the key care providers. The study was conducted with a time-period cohort design. Results 37% of the study patients had serious injuries with Injury Severity Score ≥ 9. The mean prehospital transport time was 2.5 hours (95% CI 1.9 - 3.2. During the ten-year study period trauma mortality was reduced from 17% (95% CI 15 -19 to 4% (95% CI 3.5 - 5, survival especially improving in major trauma victims. In most patients with airway problems, in chest injured, and in patients with external hemorrhage, simple life support measures were sufficient to improve physiological severity indicators. Conclusion In case of long prehospital transit times simple life support measures by paramedics and lay first responders reduce trauma mortality in major injuries. Delegating life-saving skills to paramedics and lay people is a key factor for efficient prehospital trauma systems in low-resource communities.

  12. Retrospective cohort analysis of chest injury characteristics and concurrent injuries in patients admitted to hospital in the Wenchuan and Lushan earthquakes in Sichuan, China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zheng, Xi; Hu, Yang; Yuan, Yong; Zhao, Yong-Fan

    2014-01-01

    The aim of this study was to compare retrospectively the characteristics of chest injuries and frequencies of other, concurrent injuries in patients after earthquakes of different seismic intensity. We compared the cause, type, and body location of chest injuries as well as the frequencies of other, concurrent injuries in patients admitted to our hospital after the Wenchuan and Lushan earthquakes in Sichuan, China. We explored possible relationships between seismic intensity and the causes and types of injuries, and we assessed the ability of the Injury Severity Score, New Injury Severity Score, and Chest Injury Index to predict respiratory failure in chest injury patients. The incidence of chest injuries was 9.9% in the stronger Wenchuan earthquake and 22.2% in the less intensive Lushan earthquake. The most frequent cause of chest injuries in both earthquakes was being accidentally struck. Injuries due to falls were less prevalent in the stronger Wenchuan earthquake, while injuries due to burial were more prevalent. The distribution of types of chest injury did not vary significantly between the two earthquakes, with rib fractures and pulmonary contusions the most frequent types. Spinal and head injuries concurrent with chest injuries were more prevalent in the less violent Lushan earthquake. All three trauma scoring systems showed poor ability to predict respiratory failure in patients with earthquake-related chest injuries. Previous studies may have underestimated the incidence of chest injury in violent earthquakes. The distributions of types of chest injury did not differ between these two earthquakes of different seismic intensity. Earthquake severity and interval between rescue and treatment may influence the prevalence and types of injuries that co-occur with the chest injury. Trauma evaluation scores on their own are inadequate predictors of respiratory failure in patients with earthquake-related chest injuries.

  13. Retrospective cohort analysis of chest injury characteristics and concurrent injuries in patients admitted to hospital in the Wenchuan and Lushan earthquakes in Sichuan, China.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xi Zheng

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to compare retrospectively the characteristics of chest injuries and frequencies of other, concurrent injuries in patients after earthquakes of different seismic intensity. METHODS: We compared the cause, type, and body location of chest injuries as well as the frequencies of other, concurrent injuries in patients admitted to our hospital after the Wenchuan and Lushan earthquakes in Sichuan, China. We explored possible relationships between seismic intensity and the causes and types of injuries, and we assessed the ability of the Injury Severity Score, New Injury Severity Score, and Chest Injury Index to predict respiratory failure in chest injury patients. RESULTS: The incidence of chest injuries was 9.9% in the stronger Wenchuan earthquake and 22.2% in the less intensive Lushan earthquake. The most frequent cause of chest injuries in both earthquakes was being accidentally struck. Injuries due to falls were less prevalent in the stronger Wenchuan earthquake, while injuries due to burial were more prevalent. The distribution of types of chest injury did not vary significantly between the two earthquakes, with rib fractures and pulmonary contusions the most frequent types. Spinal and head injuries concurrent with chest injuries were more prevalent in the less violent Lushan earthquake. All three trauma scoring systems showed poor ability to predict respiratory failure in patients with earthquake-related chest injuries. CONCLUSIONS: Previous studies may have underestimated the incidence of chest injury in violent earthquakes. The distributions of types of chest injury did not differ between these two earthquakes of different seismic intensity. Earthquake severity and interval between rescue and treatment may influence the prevalence and types of injuries that co-occur with the chest injury. Trauma evaluation scores on their own are inadequate predictors of respiratory failure in patients with earthquake

  14. Behind armour blunt trauma--an emerging problem.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cannon, L

    2001-02-01

    Behind Armour Blunt Trauma (BABT) is the non-penetrating injury resulting from the rapid deformation of armours covering the body. The deformation of the surface of an armour in contact with the body wall arises from the impact of a bullet or other projectile on its front face. The deformation is part of the retardation and energy absorbing process that captures the projectile. In extreme circumstances, the BABT may result in death, even though the projectile has not perforated the armour. An escalation of the available energy of bullets and the desire of armour designers to minimise the weight and bulk of personal armour systems will increase the risk of BABT in military and security forces personnel. In order to develop materials that can be interposed between the armour and the body wall to attenuate the transfer of energy into the body, it is essential that the mechanism of BABT is known. There is a great deal of activity within UK and NATO to unravel the interactions; the mechanism is likely to be a combination of stress (pressure) waves generated by the rapid initial motion of the rear of the armour, and shear deformation to viscera produced by gross deflection of the body wall. Physical and computer model systems are under development to characterise the biophysical processes and provide performance targets for materials to be placed between armours and the body wall in order to attenuate the injuries (trauma attenuating backings-TABs). The patho-physiological consequences of BABT are being clarified by research, but the injuries will have some of the features of blunt chest trauma observed in road traffic accidents and other forms of civilian blunt impact injury. The injuries also have characteristics of primary blast injury. An overview diagnosis and treatment is described.

  15. Spectrum and outcome of pancreatic trauma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kantharia, Chetan V; Prabhu, R Y; Dalvi, A N; Raut, Abhijit; Bapat, R D; Supe, Avinash N

    2007-01-01

    Pancreatic trauma is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Diagnosis is often difficult and surgery poses a formidable challenge. Data from 17 patients of pancreatic trauma gathered from a prospectively maintained database were analysed and the following parameters were considered: mode of injury, diagnostic modalities, associated injury, grade of pancreatic trauma and management. Pancreatic trauma was graded from I through IV, as per Modified Lucas Classification. The median age was 39 years (range 19-61). The aetiology of pancreatic trauma was blunt abdominal trauma in 14 patients and penetrating injury in 3. Associated bowel injury was present in 4 cases (3 penetrating injury and 1 blunt trauma) and 1 case had associated vascular injury. 5 patients had grade I, 3 had grade II, 7 had grade III and 2 had grade IV pancreatic trauma. Contrast enhanced computed tomography scan was used to diagnose pancreatic trauma in all patients with blunt abdominal injury. Immediate diagnosis could be reached in only 4 (28.5%) patients. 7 patients responded to conservative treatment. Of the 10 patients who underwent surgery, 6 required it for the pancreas and the duodenum. (distal pancreatectomy with splenectomy-3, pylorus preserving pancreatoduodenectomy-1, debridement with external drainage-1, associated injuries-duodenum-1). Pancreatic fistula, recurrent pancreatitis and pseudocyst formation were seen in 3 (17.05%), 2 (11.7%) and 1 (5.4%) patient respectively. Death occurred in 4 cases (23.5%), 2 each in grades III and IV pancreatic trauma. Contrast enhanced computed tomography scan is a useful modality for diagnosing, grading and following up patients with pancreatic trauma. Although a majority of cases with pancreatic trauma respond to conservative treatment, patients with penetrating trauma, and associated bowel injury and higher grade pancreatic trauma require surgical intervention and are also associated with higher morbidity and mortality.

  16. Blunt trauma of bone structures of the chest: Computed tomography vs multidetector computed tomography

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Petrović Kosta

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Background/Aim. Computerized tomography (CT, especially multidetector CT (MDCT, has had a revolutionary impact in diagnostic in traumatized patients. The aim of the study was to identify and compare the frequency of injuries to bone structures of the thorax displayed with 5-mm-thick axial CT slices and thin-slice (MDCT examination with the use of 3D reconstructions, primarily multiplanar reformations (MPR. Methods. This prospective study included 61 patients with blunt trauma submitted to CT scan of the thorax as initial assessment. The two experienced radiologists independently and separately described the findings for 5-mmthick axial CT slices (5 mm CT as in monoslice CT examination; MPR and other 3D reconstructions along with thin-slice axial sections which were available in modern MDCT technologies. After describing thin-slice examination in case of disagreement in the findings, the examiners redescribed thinslice examination together which was ultimately considered as a real, true finding. Results. No statistically significant difference in interobserver evaluation of 5 mm CT examination was recorded (p > 0.05. Evaluation of fractures of sternum with 5 mm CT and MDCT showed a statistically significant difference (p < 0.05 in favor of better display of injury by MDCT examination. Conclusion. MDCT is a powerful diagnostic tool that can describe higher number of bone fractures of the chest in traumatized patients compared to 5 mm CT, especially in the region of sternum for which a statistical significance was obtained using MPR. Moreover, the importance of MDCT is also set by easier and more accurate determination of the level of bone injury.

  17. CT of blunt pancreatic trauma-A pictorial essay

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Venkatesh, Sudhakar Kundapur; Wan, John Mun Chin

    2008-01-01

    Blunt trauma to pancreas is uncommon and clinical features are often non-specific and unreliable leading to possible delays in diagnosis and therefore increased morbidity. CT has been established as the imaging modality of choice for the diagnosis of abdominal solid-organ injury in the blunt trauma patient. The introduction of multidetector-row CT allows for high resolution scans and multiplanar reformations that improve diagnosis. Detection of pancreatic injuries on CT requires knowledge of the subtle changes produced by pancreatic injury. The CT appearance of pancreatic injury ranges from a normal initial appearance of the pancreas to active pancreatic bleeding. Knowledge of CT signs of pancreatic trauma and a high index of suspicion is required in diagnosing pancreatic injury

  18. Chest CT findings in pediatric Wegener's granulomatosis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Levine, Daniel [British Columbia Children' s Hospital, Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Vancouver, British Columbia (Canada); Akikusa, Jonathan [Royal Children' s Hospital Melbourne, Department of Rheumatology, Melbourne (Australia); Manson, David [Hospital for Sick Children, Department of Radiology, Toronto (Canada); Silverman, Earl; Schneider, Rayfel [Hospital for Sick Children, Department of Rheumatology, Toronto (Canada)

    2007-01-15

    Although pulmonary involvement occurs in the majority of children and adolescents with Wegener's granulomatosis (WG), relatively little has been published regarding the CT imaging manifestations in this group of patients. To determine the frequency and types of chest CT abnormalities in active pediatric WG (pWG). The study was a retrospective examination of 29 chest CT examinations performed at diagnosis (n=14) and during disease flares (n=15) in 18 children. The most common abnormalities were nodules (seen in 90% of examinations), ground-glass opacification (52%), and air-space opacification (45%). Of examinations with nodules, 73% demonstrated nodules >5 mm in diameter and 69% demonstrated more than five nodules; 17% had cavitary lesions. The only abnormality with a significant difference in prevalence between diagnosis and disease flares was air-space opacification, present in 71% and 20%, respectively (P < 0.01). In accordance with the findings of published adult studies and at variance with those of prior pediatric studies, our findings indicate that chest CT abnormalities in active pWG are frequent, most commonly comprising nodules and ground-glass opacification, which may be difficult to detect on plain radiography. We therefore advocate the routine use of chest CT for all affected patients, both at the time of presentation and during disease flares. (orig.)

  19. A combination of methylprednisolone and quercetin is effective for the treatment of cardiac contusion following blunt chest trauma in rats

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Demir, F. [Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Faculty of Medicine, Dicle University, Diyarbakır (Turkey); Güzel, A. [Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Ondokuz Mayıs University, Samsun (Turkey); Katı, C. [Department of Emergency Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Ondokuz Mayıs University, Samsun (Turkey); Karadeniz, C. [Pediatric Cardiology Services, Behçet Uz Children' s Hospital, İzmir (Turkey); Akdemir, U. [Department of Emergency Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Ondokuz Mayıs University, Samsun (Turkey); Okuyucu, A. [Department of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Ondokuz Mayıs University, Samsun (Turkey); Gacar, A. [Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ondokuz Mayıs University, Samsun (Turkey); Özdemir, S. [Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Ondokuz Mayıs University, Samsun (Turkey); Güvenç, T. [Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ondokuz Mayıs University, Samsun (Turkey)

    2014-08-01

    Cardiac contusion is a potentially fatal complication of blunt chest trauma. The effects of a combination of quercetin and methylprednisolone against trauma-induced cardiac contusion were studied. Thirty-five female Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into five groups (n=7) as follows: sham, cardiac contusion with no therapy, treated with methylprednisolone (30 mg/kg on the first day, and 3 mg/kg on the following days), treated with quercetin (50 mg·kg{sup −1}·day{sup −1}), and treated with a combination of methylprednisolone and quercetin. Serum troponin I (Tn-I) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) levels and cardiac histopathological findings were evaluated. Tn-I and TNF-α levels were elevated after contusion (P=0.001 and P=0.001). Seven days later, Tn-I and TNF-α levels decreased in the rats treated with methylprednisolone, quercetin, and the combination of methylprednisolone and quercetin compared to the rats without therapy, but a statistical significance was found only with the combination therapy (P=0.001 and P=0.011, respectively). Histopathological degeneration and necrosis scores were statistically lower in the methylprednisolone and quercetin combination group compared to the group treated only with methylprednisolone (P=0.017 and P=0.007, respectively). However, only degeneration scores were lower in the combination therapy group compared to the group treated only with quercetin (P=0.017). Inducible nitric oxide synthase positivity scores were decreased in all treatment groups compared to the untreated groups (P=0.097, P=0.026, and P=0.004, respectively). We conclude that a combination of quercetin and methylprednisolone can be used for the specific treatment of cardiac contusion.

  20. The use of three-dimensional tomographic reconstructions in the diagnosis on facial trauma: report of three cases and literature review; O uso das reconstrucoes tomograficas tridimensionais no diagnostico do trauma facial: relato de tres casos e revisao da literatura

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lima Junior, Jose Lacet de; Goes, Kilma Keilla Honorio de; Dias-Ribeiro, Eduardo; Araujo, Tulio Neves de [Hospital de Emergencia e Trauma Senador Humberto Lucena (HETSHL), Joao Pessoa, PB (Brazil). Servico de Cirurgia e Trauma Buco-Maxilo-Facial; Costa, Vanio Santos [Universidade Federal da Bahia (UFBA), Salvador, BA (Brazil); Oliveira, Patricia Teixeira de [Universidade Potiguar (UnP), Natal, RN (Brazil)

    2007-01-15

    Fractures on the maxillofacial complex demand a detailed three dimensional comprehension of the damaged area. A correct radiographic evaluation is essential for the planning of the repair surgery. The surgical maneuvers involving this type of trauma depend on the knowledge of anatomy and an image diagnosis. The three dimensional images are especially important for the surgeons due to the fact that they allow a panoramic representation of the facial complex and of the fracture, facilitating the treatment planning. This study aims to report three clinical cases, as well as a literature review, discussing the utilization of three-dimensional tomography reconstructions on the diagnosis of the facial trauma. (author)