Citation

Thomas MO, Ogunleye EO. Asian Cardiovasc. Thorac Ann. 2009; 17(6): 608-611.

Affiliation

Cardiothoracic Surgery Unit, Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Lagos, Nigeria. oluwafemithomas@yahoo.com

Copyright

(Copyright © 2009, Asian-Pacific Society of Cardiology, Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/0218492309349069

PMID

20026537

Abstract

Blunt chest trauma had not been roundly studied in Nigeria. This study was conducted to determine the etiopathological and management challenges of chest trauma in a developing country. In a prospective multicenter hospital-based study of 10-years duration in the city of Lagos, the data of 896 patients were recorded. The male-to-female ratio was 8 : 1, and the mean age was 27.1 years. The majority of patients (76.9%) were aged 20-39 years. Road traffic accidents caused 98.1% of the injuries. Lung parenchymal injuries occurred in 66% of patients, and cardiac trauma in 0.1%. Isolated chest trauma was found in 85% of patients, and 134 had associated injuries. The incidence of blunt chest trauma could be reduced if the number of road traffic accidents in Nigeria is reduced.

Language: en