Abstract
Thoracic trauma, both blunt and penetrating, is a common and potentially life-threatening condition, which often requires multidisciplinary approach. Almost half of all polytrauma cases are associated with the presence of chest injuries, which could potentially become the main cause of death. According to the conducted retrospective analysis for a 1-year period to our clinic were admitted 71 patients with chest trauma, 94,4% of which – blunt trauma. The most common mechanism of trauma was falling, followed by traffic accidents. Pneumothorax or hemopneumothorax was diagnosed in more than half of all cases, and thoracic drainage placement as a primary surgical intervention was performed in 56,34% of cases. Despite these facts, there is still no generally accepted algorithm for the management of such patients. We present a clinical case of penetrating thoracic trauma, caused by tree branch falling on a moving car, managed by performing an urgent thoracotomy. The patient was extubated on the first and discharged on the 13th postoperative day without any complications, and the lung parenchyma expanded.