Chest injury is an injury or condition that occurs in and around the chest area. The chest area typically involves places including rib cage, lungs, upper abdomen and sternum. There are several types of chest injuries, which can take place. Some of the major chest injuries, their symptoms and treatment are mentioned below:
Types of chest injuries
1. Flail chest
An injury that takes place when a part of the rib cage breaks under severe stress and becomes disconnected from the rest of the chest wall.
Signs and Symptoms
Rapid or weak pulse
Difficult breathing
Pale skin
Bluish skin (Cyanosis)
Pain while breathing.
Treatment
Try to stabilize the flail segment
Place the patient in a comfortable position- half sitting and leaning to the injured side.
Loosen any tight clothing
Provide respiratory support (high-flow oxygen, ventilation when required)
Provide aggressive analgesia
2. Rib fracture
An injury where the flexibility is alleviated rather than the whole bone disconnecting from the spinal area (broken ribs).
Signs and Symptoms
Pain that aggravates when the patient breathes or coughs
Rapid breathing
Bloodstained sputum
Tenderness at the location of injury
Treatment
Place the patient in a comfortable position- normally half-sitting and leaning to the injured side.
Provide high flow of oxygen
Encourage the patient to take short breathes
Provide chest physiotherapy
Gentry place sufficient padding to the injured area
Immobilize the arm using a collar or sling
3. Lung contusion
The most common types of chest injuries, which can occur in the absence of chest wall injury. The injury is often associated with other injuries including fractures and haemothorax.
Signs and Symptoms
Shortened breath
Chest pain
Coughing
Rapid breathing
Faster heart rate
Bruising of the chest
Spitting blood
Blueness of the nail beds or lips (in severe cases)
Sweating (in severe cases)
Feeling dizzy or faint (in severe cases)
Treatment
Enabling the patient to perform breathing exercises, which help with deep breathing and prevent pneumonia.
Provide high flow oxygen,
Provide analgesia
Provide chest physiotherapy
Provide strong ventilatory support
Intubations in severe cases
4. Penetrating chest wound
Another chest injury taking place when an object infiltrate through the flesh into the chest area. The injury may cause severe internal damage within the upper abdomen and the chest.
Signs and Symptoms
Pain at the site of injury
Unconsciousness in severe cases
Painful and tough breathing
Sounds
Treatment
Place patient in a comfortable position with affected side down
Covered the injured area to prevent air flow in and out of chest cavity
Cover the injured area with a plastic sheet, aluminum, use sterile dressing or pad
While, these are some of the many chest injuries occurring in patients, identifying the right cause, symptom and providing the right CPR trainingis what matters the most that can save the life of the casualty in emergency cases.
