Guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of thoracic traumatism.

Thoracic trauma (TT) is a frequent problem in our setting, derived from the high incidence of traffic, domestic and work-related accidents. Other aggressions and accidents are also frequent, such as sports-related. There is an approximate associated mortality rate of 10%, in many cases after the patient has been admitted to hospital. In the United States, where the data are more reliable, trauma is calculated to cause around 100,000 deaths a year, out of which closed chest trauma are directly responsible for 20-25% and are an important contribution in another 50%. On most occasions, simple diagnostic and treatment measures can prevent extremely serious situations and even patient death. A small percent of cases require thoracotomy, not usually exceeding 10-20% of all TT.