title: Cardiac and great vessel injuries after chest trauma: our 10-year experience.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cardiovascular injuries after trauma present with high mortality. The aim of the study was to present our experience in cardiac and great vessel injuries after chest trauma.
  
  
  METHODS
  During the 10-year period, 104 patients with cardiac (n=94) and great vessel (n=10) injuries presented to our hospital. The demographic data, mechanism of injury, location of injury, other associated injuries, timing of surgical intervention, surgical approach, and clinical outcome were reviewed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eighty-eight (84.6%) males presented after chest trauma. The mean age of the patients was 32.5±8.2 years (range: 12-76). Penetrating injuries (62.5%) were the most common cause of trauma. Computed tomography was performed in most cases and echocardiography was used in some stable cases. Cardiac injuries mostly included the right ventricle (58.5%). Great vessel injuries involved the subclavian vein in 6, innominate vein in 1, vena cava in 1, and descending aorta in 2 patients. Early operations after admission to the emergency were performed in 75.9% of the patients. Thoracotomy was performed in 89.5% of the patients. Operative mortality was significantly high in penetrating injuries (p=0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Clinicians should suspect cardiac and great vessel trauma in every patient presenting to the emergency unit after chest trauma. Computed tomography and echocardiography are beneficial in the management of chest trauma. Operative timing depends on hemodynamic status, and a multidisciplinary team approach improves the patient's prognosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Dr. Lütfi Kırdar Kartal Training And Research Hospital, İstanbul, Turkey. burakonan@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Burak
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Onan
authors.forename: Recep
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Demirhan
authors.forename: Kürşad
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Öz
authors.forename: Ismihan Selen
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Onan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000293:injuries*; D002648:Child; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006335:Heart Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000601:surgery; D006489:Hemostatic Techniques; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011859:Radiography; D013350:Subclavian Vein / Q000293:injuries*; D013898:Thoracic Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery; D013908:Thoracotomy; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014683:Vena Cava, Superior / Q000293:injuries*; D014949:Wounds, Nonpenetrating / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000601:surgery; D014950:Wounds, Penetrating / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000601:surgery; D055815:Young Adult