Features of chest trauma in patients admitted to the Republican Research Centre of Emergency Medicine

Objective of the study was to improve the results of treatment of patients with chest trauma by early and wide use of VATS. There analyzed the findings of examination and surgery cases of 1396 patients with chest trauma. They divided into two groups: 552 patients who had been made examination and traditional treatment without VATS and 844 patients who underwent VATS during primary diagnostics and surgery. Due to VATS we were able to reveal all of the most probable variants of chest injuries and avoid useless thoracotomy. VATS prevails the other noninvasive and minimally invasive methods of diagnostic of chest trauma. VATS also allows eliminating injuries with minimal operation procedures for the patient. Postoperative complications occurred in 25.4 % patients of first group and in 10.9 % patients of second group. VATS allows diagnosing on time the injuries of thoracic organs. Also it helps to stop bleeding, make hermetic lung ruptures and chest sanation. We can reach early activation of patients, and reduce in-hospital days by using VATS in patients with chest trauma. Surgical approach of treatment for chest trauma needs to be determined not only by the results of primary chest drainage but also by the results of VATS revision.