Last modified: 2020-02-27
Abstract
The thoracic traumas represent 20-25% of the death cases, due to trauma and contribute to 25-50% of the remaining death cases (1). This is why, chest traumas are a factor contributing in up to 75% of all the death cases from trauma. The diagnostic assessment of the traumatic injuries is the main factor substantiating the need of the relevant method for treatment. An open operating intervention is made for a selected group of patients. The clinical picture in cardiac trauma varies significantly from clinically symptom-free, transitional arrhythmias to lethal rupture of the wall. More serious injuries may result in hemorrhagic shock, pericardial tamponade or death. The focused evaluation with sonography for trauma (FAST) provides possibility for easy, fast and non-invasive evaluation of the cardiac trauma (2). The cardiac trauma, in particular the penetrating injury of the heart still bears very high mortality, but for sure it is not deemed as fatal any longer, and the attempt at treatment is now a standard for care in patients with signs of life at arrival in hospital (3,4).