@entity130 in XXXX and @entity468 : a retrospective study of 65 cases.

@entity1 @entity235 @entity272 @entity468 @entity130
OBJECTIVES: To report a case series of thoracic bite trauma in @entity235 and @entity468 and to evaluate risk factors for mortality. METHODS: A retrospective study concerning thoracic bite wounds in @entity235 and @entity468 was performed. Lesions were categorized by depth of penetration: no wound, superficial, deep or penetrating. Thoracic radiographic reports were reviewed. Lesion management was classified as non-surgical, wound exploration, or explorative thoracotomy. RESULTS: Sixty-five cases were collected. Twenty-two percent of @entity1 with normal respiratory patterns showed thoracic radiographic lesions. Respiratory distress was not correlated with mortality. Twenty-eight @entity1 were presented with superficial wounds and 13 with @entity130 . Eight @entity1 exhibited penetrating wounds. Radiographic lesions were observed in 77% of @entity235 and 100% of @entity468 . Explorative thoracotomy was performed in 28% of @entity1 , and surgical wound exploration in 17.2%. With the exception of @entity272 , thoracic wall discontinuity was the most frequent lesion. Thoracotomy was associated with increased length of hospitalisation but was not correlated with mortality. The mortality rate was 15.4%. No studied factor correlated with mortality, and the long-term outcomes were excellent. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: A penetrating injury, more than three radiographic lesions, or both together seemed to be indicative of the need for a thoracotomy. In the absence of these criteria, systematic bite wound explorative surgery is recommended, with extension to thoracotomy if thoracic body wall disruption is observed.
