2014, Number 1
Usefulness of simple x-ray in chest trauma
Torres – Gómez E, Onofre – Castillo JJ, Santana - Vela IA, Córdova – Chávez NA, Valdés – Martínez FJ, Bermea – Mendoza JH, Cuituny – Romero AK
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Language: Spanish
References: 8
Page: 12-17
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ABSTRACT
Introduction. Chest injuries are one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality. Proper description of findings is important and the chest x-ray is the preferred imaging method.Objective. The aim of this study is to review the spectrum of lesions that occur in the chest, detected by means of simple x-rays, in polytraumatized patients.
Material and methods. An observational, descriptive, cross-sectional study of 72 patients (37 women and 35 men between 15 and 70 years of age) with polytrauma caused by automobile accidents. All underwent chest x-rays on admission.
Results. We observed that 21 patients presented some radiological alteration associated with trauma and the most common injuries were costal fractures 44% (13 patients). The second most common radiological alteration was pulmonary contusion with 27% (8 patients), and pneumothorax was observed in 7% of the cases.
Discussion. There was a distribution of injuries similar to that described in the specialized literature in terms of thoracic trauma. The anteroposterior x-ray is highly useful because it can be taken without altering the patient’s mobility.
Conclusion. The chest x-ray plays an important role in the initial evaluation of a polytraumatized patient and is a rapid, simple, and practical imaging method. It provides important information on the structures of the rib cage.
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