OBJECTIVE: To describe the clinical characteristics and risk factors of patients with chest trauma, and to evaluate their correlation with the development of complications.
METHODS: Descriptive, prospective and analytical study of a patient cohort with chest trauma who underwent follow-up for a period of 30days. Excluded from the study were those patients with moderate to severe traumatic brain injury, long-bone fractures, abdominal trauma and patients requiring mechanical ventilation.
RESULTS: A total of 376patients met the inclusion criteria, 220 of whom were males (58.5%). The most frequent causes of trauma were falls (218cases; 57.9%) and motor vehicle accidents (57cases; 15.1%). The most frequent type of trauma was rib contusion (248cases; 65.9%) and rib fractures (61cases; 16.2%). Complications were observed in 43patients (11.4%), mainly hemothorax (13cases), pneumothorax (9cases), pneumonia (6cases) and acute renal failure (4cases). Four patients died due to pneumonia and hemothorax. Thirty-three patients were hospitalized (8.7%) and 10 (2.6%) required later re-admittance. The risk for complications increased significantly in patients with more than 2rib fractures, in those over the age of 85 and in the presence of certain comorbidities, such as COPD and pathologies requiring anticoagulation therapy. The risk for re-admittance is higher in patients over the age of 60.
CONCLUSIONS: Patients with chest trauma who present certain comorbidities, are over the age of 85 and have more than 2rib fractures may present more complications. These factors should be contemplated in the evaluation, management and follow-up of these subjects.