Clinical-epidemiological evaluation of victims of thoracic trauma in a reference hospital in Aracaju-SE

Abstract

Introduction: thoracic trauma is defined as anything that involves the rib cage, the musculoskeletal framework that houses the heart, lungs, pleurae and mediastinal structures. It can be superficial or immediately lifethreatening for victims. In Brazil, most assistance is due to urban violence. Objective: evaluate the clinical and epidemiological aspect of patients who are victims of thoracic trauma treated at Hospital de Urgência de Sergipe, Aracaju/SE, Brazil. Method: cross-sectional, observational and prospective study, carried out for eleven months, with 100 polytraumatized patients. A semi-structured form was applied, and the data were systematized, analyzed and statistically tested considering a 5% margin of error. Results: 85% of the patients were male, with a mean age of 39.3 and an age range of 30 to 49 years; 57% of them had incomplete primary education, 70% had a family income of up to 2 minimum wages and 41% were from Greater Aracaju. As for the mechanism of trauma, 33% were car-related, with blunt trauma as the main mechanism, and rib fractures as the main consequence. Among penetrating injuries, CWI (26%) and GSW (21%) were the most prevalent, with hemothorax being the main consequence. Most patients underwent thoracostomy (59%). Conclusion: the profile found was of young men, victims of urban violence. The thoracostomy was resolving in most cases and should be instituted promptly when necessary. A smaller number of patients may require thoracotomy, especially in the presence of hemodynamic instability.

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“…The study by Gonçalves et al in 2023, involving 100 patients who were victims of thoracic trauma treated at an emergency hospital in Brazil, similarly reported that 85% of those affected were men, with an average age of 39.3 years. The most common age range was between 30 and 39 years [15].…”