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Background: Trauma is one of the ten leading causes of death worldwide and the first among the youth. Thoracic trauma (TT) is present in a high percentage of deaths due to trauma and is the second leading cause of death after traumatic brain injury. Aim: To analyze the mortality associated variables, major causes and temporal distribution of mortality among dead hospitalized patients with TT. Materials and Method: Observational study in hospitalized patients with TT, period January 1981 to December 2018. Review of prospective TT protocols and data base. Major syndromic causes of death were recorded and a logistic regression for variables associated with mortality was made. SPSS25® with chi-quadrat tests was used to compare classification, type of TT and temporal distribution. A p value < 0,05 was considered significant. Results: Total 4.297 TT and global mortality was 120 (2,8%) cases. The main independent variables associated with mortality were the physiological decline upon admission, massive hemothorax and TT by firearms. The leading cause of death was hypovolemic shock, with significant differences according to the type of TT in the first 4 and 24 hours. In the temporal distribution was observed that, the deaths with penetrating and isolated TT were earlier and that there was no second peak of mortality following the first week. Conclusions: Independent variables associated with mortality were observed among hospitalized patients with TT, being physiological deterioration the most important factor. Besides, there are significant differences in the death causes and temporal distribution of mortality among the different subgroups of hospitalized patients with TT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Trauma is the leading death cause among adolescents and the fifth in the elderly. Thoracic trauma (TT) has particular characteristics in different age-groups. Aim: To analyze clinical characteristics, trauma severity indices (TSI) and mortality in patients hospitalized for TT among different age-groups. Materials and Method: Descriptive study of patients hospitalized for TT between January-1981 and December-2018. Prospective TT surgical operation notes and data base were reviewed. Age-groups were determined according to the World Health Organization (Adolescent: 10-19 years; Young Adult: 20-44 years; Mature Adult: 45-59 years; Elderly > 60 years). TT classification, mechanism, agent, treatment, TSI, Trauma Injury Severity Score (TRISS) and mortality were compared among age-groups. SPSS25® with chi-square test and ANOVA were used, considering p < 0.05 significant. Results: Total 4.297 TT. Adolescent age-group: 608 (14.1%); Young Adult: 2,544 (59.2%); Mature Adult: 601 (14.0%); Elderly: 544 (12.7%). Was observed a progressive and significant decrease of penetrating TT, aggression-caused and bladed weapon-caused TT from Adolescent to Elderly. In Young Adult the invasive treatment predominant: surgery 541 (21.2%), whereas in Mature Adult TT with associated injuries 215 (35.8%), p < 0.05. Differences in TRISS and mortality 1.6%; 2.5%; 3.4%; 5.0% (p < 0.05) were observed among age-groups, respectively. Conclusions: There are statistical significant differences in clinical characteristics, TSI and mortality when comparing TT by age group. Age is an important factor determining the outcome in TT hospitalized patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Our objectives are to describe and correlate the clinical characteristics, trauma severity indexes (TSI) and morbidity and mortality in patients hospitalized for thoracic trauma by a bladed weapon (TTBW). Materials and Method: Transversal analytic study. Period January-1981 to December-2017. Prospective database review, surgical protocols, clinical files. The characteristics of the TTBW are described and compared. Injury Severity Score (ISS), Revised Trauma Score (RTS-T) and Trauma Injury Severity Score (TRISS) were calculated. Results: Total of 4,163 patients hospitalized for TT, 2,286 hospitalized for TTBW. Men: 2,131 (93.2%), average age 27.8 ± 10.7 years, isolated TTBW 2,035 (89.0%), associated with extra thoracic injuries 251 (11.0%) and of these 124 (5.5%) were considered polytrauma. Main mechanisms of trauma: Aggression 2,246 (98.3%) and self-aggression 22 (1.0%). Most frequent injuries and thoracic findings: pneumothorax 1,473 (64.4%), hemothorax 1,408 (61.6%), subcutaneous emphysema 485 (21.2%). Definitive treatment: Pleurotomy 1,378 (60.3%), thoracic surgery 537 (23.5%) and medical treatment 370 (16.2%). Average hospital stay: 6.2 ± 6.5 days. ISS average 10.9 ± 7.2, RTS-T average 11.6 ± 1.4 and TRISS average 3.6. Morbidity: 318 (13.9%). Mortality: 32 (1.4%). Discussion: TTBW are frequent in our environment, unlike on an international level. Conclusions: TTBW frequently occur in young male patients due to aggression. The majority can be treated with exclusive pleurotomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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