Thorax gunshot and sharp cutting tool injuries: for 5 months Nyala experiences

Abstract

Background: The two most common causes of penetrating thoracic trauma are firearm injuries and injuries by sharpened cutting tool. Penetrating thoracic injuries are risk factors for high mortality and morbidity, so they need to be diagnosed correctly and timely in order to perform an effective intervention. In this study, patients with penetrating thoracic trauma were treated through surgical intervention accompanying minimal morbidity–mortality compared to literature, even though they were admitted relatively late.
Methods: In this retrospective study, 29 gunshot and stab wounds penetrating thoracic trauma patients were admitted to the emergency department of Nyala Sudan Turkey Education and Research Hospital between April and September 2018.
Results: Of the 29 patients, 7 (24.13%) were gunshot injuries and 22 (75.86%) were injured with a sharp cutting tool. While 13 of the cases (44.82%) were admitted on the day the incident took place, 5 of them (17.24%) were post-traumatic first day of the admission, 9 of them (31.03%) were post-traumatic day 2, whereas 1 of them (3.44%) was post-traumatic the third day of admission. Finally, 14 patients (48.28%)
were followed-up conservatively without tube thoracostomy, while 15 patients (51.72%) underwent tube thoracostomy in follow-up. No patient was operated for penetrant trauma. Mortality was not seen.
Conclusion: Patients with penetrating thoracic trauma were treated by surgical interventions accompanying minimal morbidity–mortality even though they were admitted relatively late to healthcare facilities.