ABSTRACT
Chest injury from blunt trauma is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. Most of the literature published on injury to the thoracic great vessels has focused on the aorta and on blunt thoracic aortic injury (BTAI), which is a devastating injury that requires early recognition to minimize morbidity and mortality. The chest X-ray is a good screening tool and is usually one of the first studies obtained on the trauma patient. Angiography remains the standard by which most other diagnostic tests are compared. CT of the chest with intravenous contrast is strongly recommended for making the diagnosis of blunt thoracic aortic injury. The nonoperative management of blunt aortic injuries stemmed from studies reporting the use of medical management of these injuries in patients who were poor operative candidates due to advanced age or comorbidities that prohibit emergency thoracic surgery.
