injuries and poisoning
Introduction to Chest Injuries
Causes of Chest Injuries
The chest can be injured by blunt force (such as in motor vehicle crashes, falls, or sports injuries) or by an object that penetrates it (such as a bullet or knife). Chest injuries are often serious or immediately life threatening because they interfere with breathing or circulation. Some injuries damage the ribs and chest muscles (called the chest wall) severely enough to make it difficult for the lungs to inflate normally. Damage to the lungs themselves interferes with Exchanging Oxygen and Carbon Dioxide , the main function of the lungs in which oxygen is acquired and carbon dioxide is expelled. Chest injuries can cause circulatory problems if they result in a lot of bleeding. Bleeding is often inside the chest wall, which also interferes with breathing. Also, injury to the heart can affect circulation by interfering with the heart's ability to pump blood to the body. Chest injuries that are common or can be severe include the following: Blunt Injury to the Heart None Cardiac Tamponade (pressure on the heart caused by accumulation of blood around it) Hemothorax (blood between the lung and chest wall) Pulmonary Contusion (bruising of the lung) Rib Fractures None Injury to the Aorta (a tear in the large artery that carries blood from the heart to the body) Traumatic Pneumothorax (air between the lung and chest wall, sometimes called a collapsed lung) Simple treatments, such as insertion of needles or tubes to treat certain chest injuries, can be lifesaving. 