Surgical methods in the treatment of gunshot penetrating wounds of the chest

: The authors conducted a comparative analysis of the course of traumatic disease in 1,920 persons with chest injury, according to the character of the injury, the time of surgical aid, and the features of the therapeutic tactics. The surgical tactics consisted mostly in closed active drainage of the pleural cavity (in 52.5%) and surgical debridement of the wounds in the chest wall (in 36.8% of patients). Closure of open pneumothorax and drainage of the pleural cavity was conducted in 27.7% and thoracotomy in 10.6% of the injured. Purulent complications were diagnosed in 21.8% of patients, including pyothorax in 13.8% and suppuration of the chest wound in 6.0% of cases. The duration of in-patient treatment for chest injuries was 36.4 +/- 3.8 days, but increased by 2.5-3 times with the development of purulent complications. The lethality rate among the patients of the analysed group was 16.2%, among which were 1.9% of deaths from severe purulent complications.