Traumatic asphyxia

BACKGROUND Traumatic asphyxia is probably much more common than the surgical literature shows and should always be kept in mind as a possible complication of injuries of the chest and abdomen. AIMS Traumatic asphyxia or Perte's syndrome results from a severe crush injury causing sudden compression of the thorax. During a 3-year period, we treated five cases of traumatic asphyxia, which we report in this manuscript. METHODS The patients were all male, ranging in age from 26 to 64. They suffered different types of crushing injuries: industrial accidents in two patients, run over by motor vehicles in two patients, and a farm accident in one patient. Most of the patients suffered some associated injuries, including fracture of the sternum in one patient, fracture of the right clavicle in one patient, and bilateral hemopneumothoraces in one patient. RESULTS The treatment included bilateral chest tube thoracostomy in one patient, and the others required supportive treatment. There was no mortality. CONCLUSION Treatment for traumatic asphyxia is supportive, and patient recovery is related to the generally associated injuries. Traumatic asphyxia should always be kept in mind as a possible complication of injuries of the chest and abdomen.