title: A triage system for stab wounds to the chest.
abstract: In a study of 200 patients with chest wounds in whom the need for referral to a centre with radiographic facilities was not obvious, careful clinical examination (pulse, blood pressure, respiratory rate, haemoglobin value and chest auscultation) was found to be a reliable triage tool. The sensitivity of one or more positive signs was 99.2% with a false-positive rate of 16% and a false-negative rate of 2%. The positive predictive value of two or more positive signs was found to be 99.1%.
authors.affiliation: Trauma Unit, Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town.
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Wormald
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Knottenbelt
authors.forename: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Linegar
mesh_terms: D004632:Emergency Medical Services; D006757:Hospital Units; D006801:Humans; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic; D013898:Thoracic Injuries / Q000628:therapy*; D014218:Triage; D014951:Wounds, Stab / Q000628:therapy*