Mediastinal Trauma

Excerpt

The mediastinum is contained within the thoracic cavity and has a high concentration of major vascular and visceral structures. Traumatic injury to any of these can be immediately life-threatening. The majority of patients with thoracic trauma are treated conservatively without surgical intervention, but a high index of suspicion should be maintained for patients with a potential mediastinal injury. While all patients with mediastinal injury should be treated according to Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) principles, blunt mediastinal injuries are not as deadly as penetrating mediastinal injuries, where there are high rates of operative intervention and mortality. This article will focus on the evaluation and management of the traumatic mediastinal injury.