PULMONARY CONTUSION - REVIEW OF THE CLINICAL ENTITY

Pulmonary contusion is a common lesion occurring in patients sustainin g severe blunt chest trauma. Alveolar hemorrhage and parenchymal destr uction are maximal during the first 24 hours after injury and then usu ally resolve within 7 days. The diagnosis of traumatic lung injury is usually made clinically with confirmation by chest x-ray films, The ch est computed tomography scan is highly sensitive in identifying pulmon ary contusion and may help predict the need for mechanical ventilation , Respiratory distress is common after lung trauma, with hypoxemia and hypercarbia greatest at about 72 hours. Although management of patien ts with pulmonary contusion is supportive, pneumonia and adult respira tory distress syndrome with long-term disability occur frequently.