Lung Trauma and Pulmonary Cavities

Mechanism and Management of Traumatic Pulmonary Cavities

• Both penetrating and blunt trauma can cause lung lacerations, which may progress to cavity formation, as noted by the Military Medical Research in 2018 1, 2
• Most patients with lung lacerations can be managed with closed thoracic drainage, according to the Military Medical Research in 2018 2
• For patients with no improvement in dyspnea and progressive hemothorax after drainage, thoracotomy may be needed to find and suture sites of hemorrhage or air leakage, as recommended by the Military Medical Research in 2018 2
• In severe cases where repair is not possible, lobectomy or segmentectomy may be considered, with pneumonectomy as the last resort option, which has a mortality exceeding 50%, as reported by the Military Medical Research in 2018 2