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Abstract
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Airbags are an example of passive preventive measures reducing the risk of severe injury or death from a motor vehicle accident. However, airbags have also been described as a source of injuries related to airbag deployment. Typical airbag-related injuries are eye injuries, cervical spine injuries, rib fractures, cardiac injuries, extremity injuries, and thoracic aortic rupture (TAR).[1-3] Approximately one-third of patients with TAR who survive till hospital admission die before surgical treatment.[4] We present a patient with TAR after a low-speed motor vehicle accident with rapidly deteriorating vital signs and subsequent death on the scene....
Automobile airbags have shown that they significantly reduce morbidity and mortality resulting mainly from a frontal collision. It has been estimated that seat belts reduce the risk of fatal injuries from motor vehicle accidents by 45% and serious injuries by 50%. Airbag deployment has shown a reduction of occupants' mortality by 63%. The combined use of airbag and seat belt reduces occupants' mortality by more than 80%.[5]
On the other hand, airbag deployment after collision is an example of the high-speed counter attack against the torso. A fully inflated airbag has a volume of 50-60 liters and is propelled out of its compartment at a speed of 160-320 km/hour...
The high lethal ratio of patients, who suffer from thoracic aortic rupture as a result of the blunt thoracic aortic injury (BTAI), is caused by uncontrolled bleeding from intimal tears located typically at the aortic isthmus (incidence 54%-65%).[6] The traumatic rupture of thoracic aorta occurs in 1.5%-2.0% of deaths due to the blunt thoracic trauma and is linked with 3%-12% of all motor vehicle fatalities.[2,7] The thoracic aortic rupture can be complete (full layer) or incomplete (partial layer). Death is often inevitable in the first case, which was the situation of the presented patient. When the rupture is incomplete, blood collects between different layers of arterial wall, and a chance of recovery after surgical treatment, open surgery, or currently preferred thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) exists.[8]
Language: en |