Deep thoracic injuries . Potentially life-threatening injuries, deep thoracic injuries can harm the heart, lungs and large vessels, such as the aortic arch and superior vena cava. Any injury to the ribs may lead to cardiac, pulmonary or vascular injury. The fractured end of a rib can puncture the pleural cavity, which is the space surrounding the lungs, resulting in a lung injury. And if blood accumulates in the pleural space from a direct laceration or from tearing of vessels due to forceful injury, a hemothorax occurs.
Symptoms consist of pain with palpation and with deep inspiration.
Initially, shortness of breath may not be significant, but over time or with more significant trauma, shortness of breath will be apparent. Dullness may be heard when percussing over a hemothorax. In severe cases, the trachea may be deviated away from the side of injury. All of the above diagnoses require emergent transport to a hospital for management. Cardiac injury .