Vol. 9, Issue 1, Part A (2025)

Background: Chest trauma represents a significant cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Understanding its patterns, management strategies, and outcomes is crucial for improving patient care and healthcare resource allocation.

Objective: To analyze the incidence, associated factors, and clinical outcomes of chest trauma patients at a tertiary care center, while identifying predictors of adverse outcomes.

Methods: This prospective observational study examined 60 consecutive chest trauma patients between January 2022 and December 2023. Patient demographics, injury mechanisms, clinical characteristics, management approaches, and outcomes were analyzed. The study utilized standardized trauma scoring systems and followed patients for three months post-discharge.

Results: The study population (mean age 42.3±15.7 years, 78.3% male) predominantly suffered from road traffic accidents (65%). Rib fractures were the most common injury (75%), with multiple rib involvement in 53.3% of cases. Conservative management was successful in 65% of patients, while 35% required surgical intervention. Tube thoracostomy was performed in 43.3% of cases. The overall mortality rate was 8.3%, with a median hospital stay of 8.5 days. Complications occurred in 33.3% of patients, with pneumonia (13.3%) being the most frequent. Multivariate analysis identified age >65 years (OR: 2.8, 95% CI: 1.4-5.6), ISS >25 (OR: 3.2, 95% CI: 1.6-6.4), and delayed presentation >6 hours (OR: 2.1, 95% CI: 1.1-4.2) as independent predictors of adverse outcomes.

Conclusion: This study demonstrates that chest trauma predominantly affects young males through road traffic accidents, with most cases amenable to conservative management. Advanced age, higher injury severity, and delayed presentation significantly impact outcomes. These findings support the implementation of standardized trauma care protocols and emphasize the importance of early intervention, particularly in high-risk populations.