Chest Injury (Thoracic Trauma): Or something else? Differential Diagnosis

Respiratory System (J00-J99)

  • Hematothorax (accumulation of blood in the pleural space (airless space between the pleura and pleura)).
  • Hematopneumothorax (collapse of the lung characterized by air and blood accumulation).
  • Unstable thorax
  • Spontaneous tension pneumothorax – life-threatening form of pneumothorax in which increased pressure in the pleural space causes problems with blood flow to the heart as well as limited splitting of each other’s lungs
  • Other pneumothorax

Cardiovascular system (I00-I99)

  • Aortic dissection (synonym: aneurysm dissecans aortae) – acute splitting (dissection) of the wall layers of the aorta (main artery), with a tear of the inner layer of the vessel wall (intima) and hemorrhage between the intima and the muscular layer of the vessel wall (outer media), in the sense of aneurysm dissecans (pathological expansion of the artery).
  • Cardiac contusion (cardiac contusion)
  • Pericardial tamponade – restriction of the heart muscle due to accumulation of fluid in the pericardium.

Injuries, poisonings, and other consequences of external causes (S00-T98).

  • Pulmonary contusion (pulmonary contusion)
  • Rib fracture (rib fracture)
  • Sternal fracture (sternum fracture)
  • Diaphragmatic rupture (rupture of the diaphragm)