Management of Asymptomatic Patients following Stab Wounds to the Chest

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
A patient with stab wounds to the chest may have negative physical findings and normal radiologic examinations and still develop delayed pneumothorax or hemothorax. The frequency and time intervals of these complications are established. Asymptomatic patients (110) with chest stab wounds were prospectively studied. Ten patients (9%) developed a delayed pneumothorax or hemothorax. Careful radiologic examination using inspiratory and expiratory chest films revealed all positive findings by 6 h postadmission. Asymptomatic patients with chest stab wounds can be safely managed without hospitalization.

This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: