Journal of Emergency Practice and Trauma

Traumatic Hemothorax as an Indicator of Trauma Severity in Thoracic and Polytrauma Patients: An Institutional Incidence-Based Study

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Shqiptar Demaçi 1
Yllka Krasniqi 2
Burbuqe Bruçi 3
David Stubljar 3

1 Department of Thoracic Surgery, University Clinical Centre of Prishtina, Prishtina, Republic of Kosovo

2 Clinic of Anesthesiology and Reanimation, University Clinical Centre of Prishtina, Prishtina, Republic of Kosovo

3 Department of Research and Development, In-Medico, Metlika, Slovenia

https://doi.org/doi:10.34172/jept.1799
Abstract
Introduction: Traumatic hemothorax (TH) is not a rare complication of thoracic trauma. This study aimed to assess the incidence of this complication among injured patients and assess it as an indicator of severity.
Methods: A retrospective study comprised 681 injured patients with thoracic trauma admitted to the Thoracic Surgery Department or Intensive Care Unit of the University Clinical Centre of Kosovo, Prishtina, during a period of three years (from July 2019 to June 2022). Trauma severity was assessed using indirect clinical indicators, including length of hospital and ICU stay, need for surgical intervention (thoracic drainage and urgent or elective thoracotomy), presence of associated intra- and extra-thoracic injuries, occurrence of complications, and in-hospital mortality.
Results: Traumatic hemothorax was identified in 136 of 681 patients with thoracic trauma (20.0%). Hemothorax occurred more frequently in penetrating than blunt thoracic trauma (37.7% vs. 13.8%; P < 0.01). Definitive surgical treatment was required in 16.9% of patients with TH, including urgent thoracotomy in 8.1%. Patients with intrapleural bleeding had a significantly longer hospitalization stay compared to patients without hemothorax (20.6 ± 17.4 vs. 9.4 ± 10.4 days; P < 0.001), indicating increased trauma severity.
Conclusion: Careful surveillance was necessary for thoracic trauma patients to ensure timely action would be taken for patients who required surgical intervention. Presence of any of the associated TH injuries triggered a suspicion of possible complications and contributed to the longer length of stay in the intensive care unit.

Keywords

Hemothorax drainage
Injury severity score
Thoracic trauma
Thoracostomy
Traumatic hemothorax
Subjects
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Journal of Emergency Practice and Trauma
Volume 11, Issue 1
January 2025
Pages 22-26

  • Receive Date 13 July 2025
  • Accept Date 12 November 2025

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