Clinical Study of 53 Patients Requiring open Thoracotomy After Thoracic Injuries

흉부외상 환자중 개흉술이 필요했던 53례에 관한 임상적 고찰

Recently the thoracic injuries have been markedly increasing due to the vast increase of traffic accident, industrial disaster, and incidental accident as well as the frequent use of the murderous weapons including gun or rifle. Because the thoracic injuries could involve the heart, lung, and great vessels, and would influence the lives, prompt diagnosis and adequate treatment are essential. Most of thoracic injuries can be managed with the conservative treatment and simple surgical procedure such as closed thoracostomy, but certain cases require open thoracotomy to preserve lives and to return to their normal environment. The authors have analysed the result of 53 cases of open thoracotomy after thoracic injuries mainly according to the patient`s chart review. The mean age was 33.4 years old and male to female ratio was about 5: l. Injury mechanisms that elicited thoracic trauma indicated for open thoracotomy were penetrating[47%] and non-penetrating[53%] injuries. The Most common type of the thoracic lesion was hemothorax with or without pneumothorax and diaphragm rupture was the second. 58\ulcornero of thoracic injuries were accompanied by abdominal injuries and 47% by bone fractures. 34 patients were operated within 24 hours after injury and their average elapsed time was 13.6 hour. The remained patients were operated after 24 hours and their average elapsed time was 7.8 days. 71 cases of operative procedures containing some overlappings were performed: diaphragm repair[28], bleeding control[12], pulmonary and cardiac repair[4 cases] Postoperative complication rate was 32.1% and operative mortality rate was 9.4%[5/53].