Abstract
Chest trauma in children is an indicator of injury severity and is associated with a high mortality rate. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of pulmonary contusion-laceration on short and long-term outcome of pediatric patients after blunt thoracic trauma. A retrospective analysis of records of 41 children aged 10 months to 17 years who were treated for pulmonary and associated injuries between 1986 and 2000 was done concerning mode of injury, types of injuries, management and outcome. In addition, a follow-up investigation was performed 4.5±1 years after injury. Of the patients 27 were involved in motor vehicle accidents (MVA group) and 14 patients suffered other types of accidents (others group). The mean injury severity score (ISS) was 30±2 (range 9–75) with no significant difference between the groups. Patients from the MVA group suffered more frequently bilateral pulmonary lesions and needed more often chest tube placement (p<0.05), 5 patients died (12%) all from the MVA group. The follow-up investigation of 34 patients showed unremarkable chest x-rays and normal lung function in all but 1 patient with bronchial asthma. In conclusion, children who recover after a pulmonary contusion-laceration trauma do not suffer from significant late respiratory problems.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Allen GS, Cox CS (1998) Pulmonary contusion in children: diagnosis and management. South Med J 91:1099–1106
Black TL, Snyder CL, Miller JP, Mann CM, Copetas AC, Ellis DG (1996) Significance of chest trauma in children. South Med J 89:494–496
Ceran S, Sunam GS, Aribas OK, Gormus N, Solak H (2002) Chest trauma in children. Eur J Cardiothorac Surg 21:57–59
Cooper A, Barlow B, DiScala C, String D (1994) Mortality and truncal injury: the pediatric perspective. J Pediatr Surg 29:33–38
Eichelberger MR, Randolph JG (1981) Thoracic trauma in children. Surg Clin North Am 61:1181–1197
Galea MH, Williams N, Mayell MJ (1992) Traumatic pneumatocele. J Pediatr Surg 27:1523–1524
Garcia VF, Gotschall CS, Eichelberger MR, Bowman LM (1990) Rib fractures in children: a marker of severe trauma. J Trauma 30:695–700
Harris GJ, Soper RT (1990) Pediatric first rib fractures. J Trauma 30:343–345
Hoff SJ, Shotts SD, Eddy VA, Morris JA (1994) Outcome of isolated pulmonary contusion in blunt trauma patients. Am Surg 60:138–142
Höllwarth M (1984) Thoraxtrauma. In: Sauer H (ed) Das verletzte Kind. Thieme, Stuttgart New York, pp 309–338
Kishikawa M, Yoshioka T, Shimazu T (1991) Pulmonary contusion causes long-term respiratory dysfunction with decreased functional residual capacity. J Trauma 31:1203–1210
Kisson N, Dreyer J, Walia M (1990) Pediatric trauma: differences in pathophysiology, injury patterns and treatment compared with adult trauma. Can Med Assoc J 142:27–34
Livingston DH, Richardson JD (1990) Pulmonary disability after severe blunt chest trauma. J Trauma 30:562–567
Nakayama DK, Ramenofsky ML, Rowe MI (1989) Chest injuries in childhood. Ann Surg 210:770–775
Peclet MH, Newman KD, Eichelberger MR, Gotschall CS (1990) Thoracic trauma in children: an indicator of increased mortality. J Pediatr Surg 25:961–966
Reichmann I, Aufmkolk M, Neudeck F, Bardenheuer M, Schmit-Neuerburg KP, Obertacke U (1998) Vergleich schwerer Mehrfachverletzungen im Kindes- und Erwachsenenalter. Unfallchirurg 101:919–927
Rielly JP, Brandt ML, Mattox KL, Pokorny WJ (1993) Thoracic trauma in children. J Trauma 34:329–331
Roux P, Fisher RM (1992) Chest injuries in children: an analysis of 100 cases of blunt chest trauma from motor vehicle accidents. J Pediatr Surg 27:551–555
Schimpl G, Schneider U (1996) Traumatic pneumatocele in an infant: case report and review of the literature. Eur J Pediatr Surg 6:104–106.
Smyth BT (1979) Chest trauma in children. J Pediatr Surg 14:41–47
Svennevig JL, Vaage J, Westheim A, Hafsahl G, Refsum HE (1989) Late sequelae of lung contusion. Injury 20:253–256
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Haxhija, E.Q., Nöres, H., Schober, P. et al. Lung contusion-lacerations after blunt thoracic trauma in children. Ped Surgery Int 20, 412–414 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00383-004-1165-z
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00383-004-1165-z