Abstract
The thorax represents a significant percentage of the total body surface area and contains the vital heart and lungs, and other wide-ranging internal structures. As a result, the thorax is potentially subjected to a variety of trauma from mechanical forces that cause significant morbidity and mortality. A significant proportion of unnatural deaths across the globe occur as a result of trauma to the thorax, and therefore an understanding of the pathophysiology of thoracic trauma is essential to the practice of forensic pathology.
Original language | English (US) |
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Title of host publication | Encyclopedia of Forensic and Legal Medicine |
Subtitle of host publication | Second Edition |
Publisher | Elsevier Inc. |
Pages | 168-177 |
Number of pages | 10 |
ISBN (Electronic) | 9780128000557 |
ISBN (Print) | 9780128000342 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Nov 4 2015 |
Keywords
- Blunt cardiovascular injury
- Blunt-force trauma
- Cardiac injury
- Commotio cordis
- Death
- Flail chest
- Heart
- Pathology
- Pulmonary injury
- Rib fracture
- Sharp-force trauma
- Thorax
- Tracheobronchial injury
- Trauma
- Traumatic pneumothorax
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Social Sciences(all)