title: Lung Contusion: A Clinico-Pathological Entity with Unpredictable Clinical Course.
abstract: Lung contusion is an entity involving injury to the alveolar capillaries, without any tear or cut in the lung tissue. This results in accumulation of blood and other fluids within the lung tissue. The excess fluid interferes with gas exchange leading to hypoxia. The pathophysiology of lung contusion includes ventilation/perfusion mismatching, increased intrapulmonary shunting, increased lung water, segmental lung damage, and a loss of compliance. Clinically, patient's presents with hypoxiemia, hypercarbia and increase in laboured breathing. Patients are treated with supplemental oxygen and mechanical ventilation whenever indicated. Treatment is primarily supportive. Computed tomography (CT) is very sensitive for diagnosing pulmonary contusion. Pulmonary contusion occurs in 25-35% of all blunt chest traumas.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Soura, Kashmir, India.
authors.forename: Farooq Ahmad
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Ganie
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Soura, Kashmir, India.
authors.forename: Hafeezulla
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lone
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Soura, Kashmir, India.
authors.forename: Ghulam Nabi
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Lone
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Soura, Kashmir, India.
authors.forename: Mohd Lateef
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Wani
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Soura, Kashmir, India.
authors.forename: Shyam
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Soura, Kashmir, India.
authors.forename: Abdual Majeed
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Dar
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Soura, Kashmir, India.
authors.forename: Nasir-U-Din
authors.initials: NU
authors.lastname: Wani
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Soura, Kashmir, India.
authors.forename: Shadab Nabi
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Wani
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Soura, Kashmir, India.
authors.forename: Nadeem-Ul
authors.initials: NU
authors.lastname: Nazeer
keywords: Blunt chest trauma; Computed tomography (CT) ventilation; Pulmonary contusion