title: The management of stab wounds to the chest: sixteen years' experience.
abstract: In a retrospective review of 16 years of admissions to a regional cardiothoracic unit, 76 patients were admitted with stab wounds to the chest. Of these wounds, 75% were managed conservatively with tube drainage and observation and 25% required surgical intervention. 5.2% were managed as emergency room thoracotomies, 15.8% as urgent procedures in the operating theatre and 4% as late procedures. The total mortality was 1.3% and was seen in the emergency room thoracotomy group (mortality 25%). The risk if sub-diaphragmatic injury in the presence of chest injury is highlighted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Manchester Royal Infirmary, UK.
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Ashraf
authors.forename: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Volans
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sharif
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Chaudhry
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Akhtar
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Siddiqi
authors.forename: N J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Odam
authors.forename: G J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Grotte
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015505:Chest Tubes; D004630:Emergencies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013898:Thoracic Injuries / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D013908:Thoracotomy; D014951:Wounds, Stab / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*