FREQUENCY OF CLOTTED HEMOTHORAX IN PENETRATING CHEST TRAUMA
Submission: 02 November 2025 | Acceptance: 29 November 2025 | Publication: 21 December 2025
Dr Mohsin Hassan Khan1, Farid ullah khan ismail2*, Mohammad abid khan3, Abdul Baseer4, Khizer Rouf5
- Resident Cardiothoracic Surgery Department, Medical Teaching Institute Lady Reading Hospital Peshawar KPK Pakistan.
- Assistant Professor Thoracic Surgery Department, Medical Teaching Institute Lady Reading Hospital Peshawar KPK Pakistan.
- Assistant Professor Thoracic Surgery Department,Medical Teaching Institute Lady Reading Hospital Peshawar KPK Pakistan.
- Associate Professor Thoracic Surgery Department, Medical Teaching Institute Lady Reading Hospital Peshawar KPK Pakistan.
- Resident thoracic surgery Department medical teaching institute lady reading hospital Peshawar KPK Pakistan. Email id:
*Corresponding: Farid ullah khan ismail, Assistant Professor Thoracic Surgery Department, Medical Teaching Institute Lady Reading Hospital Peshawar KPK Pakistan
Abstract:
Objectives: To determine the frequency of clotted hemothorax in penetrating chest trauma.
Materials and Methods: This descriptive study was conducted at Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Lady Reading Hospital/ MTI. After ethical approval and informed consent, 114 chest trauma patients were examined clinically and radiologically, and data were collected prospectively to record demographics, injury details, and presence of clotted hemothorax, which was confirmed either intraoperatively or on imaging. Data were then analyzed to determine its frequency.
Results: The mean age of patients was 35.82±12.48 years, with an mean time since injury was 7.85±3.54 hours. Most were males (65.8%), and stab wounds were the most common cause (47.4%). Clotted hemothorax occurred in 27.2% of cases. No significant association was found between clotted hemothorax and age group, gender, mechanism of injury, or side of chest involvement (p>0.05).
Conclusion: It was concluded that Clotted hemothorax was found to be a frequent complication in penetrating chest trauma, affecting over one-quarter of patients. Since no strong links with demographic or injury factors were observed, careful evaluation is needed in all cases. Early imaging and timely surgical input can help reduce related complications.
Key words: Clotted hemothorax, chest trauma, stab wounds.