Experiencia en el tratamiento del trauma pulmonar por el cirujano general

Objectives: To analyze the experience in Surgical treatment of traumatic lung injuries in the Surgery and Trauma Department in Central Hospital of Mexican Red Cross. Place: Third level Attention General Hospital. Design: Prospective and observational study. Patients and methods: We reviewed the clinical records of 41 patients with thoracic trauma and lung injury antecedents, registered from January 1999 to January 2004. We considered the following variables: Mechanism and grade of injury, gender, age, diagnosis, surgical technique, morbidity and mortality. All patients were classified according to the Lung injury scale. Results: There were 37 males and 4 females with an average age of 28 years old (between 8 to 67 years old). Lung injury was caused by gunshot in 13 patients (38.70%), by stabbing in 12 patients (41.93%), and by blunt trauma in 6 patients (19.37%). Lung injury class IV was the most frequent in 14 patients (45.16%) followed by class III in 9 cases (29.03%), class II and V with 3 cases each one (9.6%), and 2 cases for class I (6.61%). Twenty eight thoracotomies were performed in the operating room and 3 at trauma-shock unit. The most frequent surgical technique was simple suture of injuried lung in 19 patients (61.29%). Morbidity was of 7.32%. Hospitalary stay was of 7 days (between 2-15 days). Mortality was of 7.32%. Conclusions: Mortality in lung injury is diminishing because earlier diagnosis, prompt surgical management, and damage control surgery.