• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.25 no.10
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• pp.1013-1019
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• 1992

A clinical evaluation was performed on 1, 110 cases of chest trauma treated at the Department of Chest Surgery, Chonnam University Hospital, during the past 23 years from January 1968 to June 1990. The ratio of male to female was 5.5: 1. The most common causes of chest trauma was stab wounds in penetrating trauma and traffic accidents in nonpenetrating trauma. The most common injuries in chest trauma were hemothorax in penetrating trauma and rib fracture in nonpenetrating trauma. Hemothorax or pneumothorax was observed in 592 cases [53.3%] of the total cases and rib fracture was observed in 527 cases[47.5%] of the total cases. Rib fracture was prevalent from the 3th to 8th rib, and 1st and 2nd rib fractures were associated with major thoracic injuries and other organ injuries. Open thoracotomy was performed in 163 cases[14.7%] and conservative nonoperative treatment in the others. Overall mortality rate was 8.5%[94 cases], and common causes of the death were shock and respiratory insufficiency.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.24-28
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• 2009

Purpose: This was conducted to assess the need for conventional radiographs of the thoracolumbar spine for routine screening of trauma patients who revealed no spinal trauma on chest and abdominal computed tomography (CT). Methods: We performed a retrospective review of the medical records of trauma patients who underwent conventional radiographs of the thoracolumbar spine following a chest and abdominal CT that revealed no spinal trauma. Results: Two hundred seventy-five trauma patients underwent conventional radiographs of the thoracolumbar spine following a chest and abdominal CT that revealed no spinal trauma. In 274 of the cases, the thoracolumbar spine series was also negative. Conclusion: CT of the chest and abdomen is an adequate evaluation of the thoracolumbar spine in trauma patients who require routine thoracolumbar spine screening, making subsequent conventional radiographs of the thoracolumbar spine unnecessary.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.114-123
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• 2024

Purpose: Appropriate scoring systems can help classify and treat polytrauma patients. This study aimed to validate chest trauma scoring systems in polytrauma patients. Methods: Data from 1,038 polytrauma patients were analyzed. The primary outcomes were one or more complications: pneumonia, chest complications requiring surgery, and mortality. The Thoracic Trauma Severity Score (TTSS), Chest Trauma Score, Rib Fracture Score, and RibScore were compared using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis in patients with or without head trauma. Results: In total, 1,038 patients were divided into two groups: those with complications (822 patients, 79.2%) and those with no complications (216 patients, 20.8%). Sex and body mass index did not significantly differ between the groups. However, age was higher in the complications group (64.1±17.5 years vs. 54.9±17.6 years, P<0.001). The proportion of head trauma patients was higher (58.3% vs. 24.6%, P<0.001) and the Glasgow Coma Scale score was worse (median [interquartile range], 12 [6.5-15] vs. 15 [14-15]; P<0.001) in the complications group. The number of rib fractures, the degree of rib fracture displacement, and the severity of pulmonary contusions were also higher in the complications group. In the area under the ROC curve analysis, the TTSS showed the highest predictive value for the entire group (0.731), head trauma group (0.715), and no head trauma group (0.730), while RibScore had the poorest performance (0.643, 0.622, and 0.622, respectively) Conclusions: Early injury severity detection and grading are crucial for patients with blunt chest trauma. The chest trauma scoring systems introduced to date, including the TTSS, are not acceptable for clinical use, especially in polytrauma patients with traumatic brain injury. Therefore, further revisions and analyses of chest trauma scoring systems are recommended.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.36 no.8
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• pp.627-629
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• 2003

The pneumopericardium following blunt chest trauma is exceedingly unusual. A patient was admitted to the emergency room after a motorcycle accident. Pneumopericardium and left pneumothorax were not detected on initial chest AP, but they were detected on chest computed tomograpy and resolved completely after chest tube insertion into the left pleural space.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.59-63
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• 1993

A clinical evaluation was performed with a population of 49 patients of chest trauma, who were diagnosed to undergo ventilator therapy, and had gone through ventilator therapy at the Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Kyungpook University Hospital. One of most common causes of chest trauma was vehicle accidents [77.5%] with the prevalent age group being their forties. The common findings were multiple rib fractures [89.8%], hemopneumothrax [81.6%], lung contusion [61.2%] and flail chest [44.9%]. Their common combined injuries were the orthopedics and neurosugical injuries [86.7%]. Complications caused by chest trauma were pneumonia, respiratory failure, atelectasis, barotrauma and empyema. Pulmonary infections were commonly associated with mechanical ventilation in the long term group and were best prevented by using bronchial hygiene therapy.The mortality rate was 5.8% of the total patients and that was 38.8% of the patients, who needed ventilator therapy. The causes of death were pneumonia, respiratory failure, acute renal failure and hypovolemic shock. Mechanical ventilation has an important place in the treatment of patients with severe chest trauma.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.170-174
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• 2013

Purpose: A flail chest is one of most challenging problems for trauma surgeons. It is usually accompanied by significant underlying pulmonary parenchymal injuries and mayled to a life-threatening thoracic injury. In this study, we evaluated the treatment result for a flail chest to determine the effect of trauma localization on morbidity and mortality. Methods: Between 2004 and 2011, 46 patients(29 males/17 females) were treated for a flail chest. The patients were divided into two group based on the location of the trauma in the chest wall; Group I contained patients with an anterior flail chest due to a bilateral costochondral separation (n=27) and Group II contained patients with a single-side posterolateral flail chest due to a segmental rib fracture (n=19). The location of the trauma in the chest wall, other injuries, mechanical ventilation support, prognosis and ISS (injury severity score) were retrospectively examined in the two groups. Results: Mechanical ventilation support was given in 38 patients(82.6%), and 7 of these 38 patients required a subsequent tracheostomy. The mean ISS for all 46 patients was $19.08{\pm}10.57$. Between the two groups, there was a significant difference in mean ventilator time (p<0.048), but no significant difference in either trauma-related morbidity (p=0.369) or mortality (p=0.189). Conclusion: An anterior flail chest frequently affects the two underlying lung parenchyma and can cause a bilateral lung contusion, a hemopneumothorax and lung hemorrhage. Thus, it needs longer ventilator care than a lateral flail chest does and is more frequently associated with pulmonary complications with poor outcome than a lateral flail chest is. In a severe trauma patient with a flail chest, especially an anterior flail chest, we must pay more attention to the pulmonary care strategy and the bronchial toilet.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.86-88
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• 2024

Misinterpreting radiographic findings can lead to unnecessary interventions and potential patient harm. The urgency required when responding to the compromised health of trauma patients can increase the likelihood of misinterpreting chest x-rays in critical situations. We present the case report of a trauma patient whose skin fold artifacts were mistaken for pneumothorax on a follow-up chest x-ray, resulting in unnecessary chest tube insertion. We hope to help others differentiate between skin folds and pneumothorax on the chest x-rays of trauma patients by considering factors such as location, shape, sharpness, and vascular markings.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.26 no.7
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• pp.575-578
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• 1993

A tracheoesophageal fistula following blunt chest trauma is rare, with only slightly more than 40 cases having been reported since 1936. With the increased incidence of blunt chest trauma from traffic accidents, it may be anticipated that this complication will be seen more frequently in the future. This report describes successfully managed two cases with such lesion. The pathophysiology and management of such lesion are discussed with a review of the literatures.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.186-190
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• 2020

Resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta (REBOA) has been increasingly used in recent years as a resuscitative adjunct for trauma patients with life-threatening non-compressible torso hemorrhage. By blocking the aorta temporarily with an inflated balloon, REBOA preserves cerebral and coronary perfusion while diminishing exsanguination below the balloon, thereby providing time for resuscitation and definitive bleeding control. When determining the occlusion zone during the REBOA procedure, factors such tortuosity of the aorta, co-occurring minor chest injuries, and the severity of shock must be considered, as well as the main injury site. This paper describes a case of high Zone I REBOA in an elderly patient with a tortuous aorta who had concomitant injuries of the chest and pelvis.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.715-722
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• 1987

A clinical analysis was performed on 823 cases of the chest trauma experienced at department of thoracic & cardiovascular surgery, Kyung Hee University Hospital during the past 8 years from Jan, 1978 to Aug. 1986. 1. the ratio of male to female patient of the chest trauma was 3:1 in male predominance. 2. The common age groups were 3rd, 4th and 5th decades. 3. The most common causes of the chest trauma was traffic accidents [79.8%] were injured due to non-penetrating injuries and the remainders [166/823, 20.2%] were injured due to penetrating injuries 4. The frequently injured site of the chest trauma was left side of the chest [46%], and the right side was 42% 5. The most common injury from non-penetrating trauma was rib fracture [77.5%], and the incidence rate of flail chest was 59% of all cases of rib fractures. 6. The incidence rate of hemopneumothorax was 42.9% in non-penetrating traumas, and 84.3% in penetrating traumas. 7. The most common method of surgical treatment was closed tube thoracostomy [37.3%], and open thoracotomy was performed in 71 cases [8.6%]. 8. the overall mortality was 2.2%, and common causes of death were cerebral damage, respiratory insufficiency, and hypovolemic shock.