Introduction to chest injuries

[Lizzy Liz]

Chest injuries most often affect the ribs, upper part of the abdomen, lungs, blood vessels, heart, muscles, soft tissues, and breastbone. Sometimes the esophagus, collarbone, or shoulder blade is also injured.
In the United States, chest injuries cause about 25% of deaths due to severe injury. Many of the injuries that can cause death during the first minutes or hours after injury can be treated or stabilized in the emergency department without the need for major surgery.