[Diagnosis and emergency aid in traumatic asphyxia].

Traumatic asphyxia in compression of the chest in 51 casualties is analysed. This type of affection accounts for 0.2-1.1% of chest traumas, but under definite circumstances it may prevail and reach 75-80%, which was encountered by the authors during a mass catastrophe. The most characteristic manifestations of this type of chest trauma are pathological conditions of the organs of vision, skin symptomatology, damage to the central nervous system and the cardiovascular system; the thoracic organs and the costal frame suffer less. The treatment must be strictly differentiated: resuscitation measures with artificial lung ventilation and timely cleansing of the tracheobronchial tree are indicated in severe and extremely severe forms; dehydration, cardiac, and anti-inflammatory therapy are indicated in moderately severe forms, and symptomatic therapy is indicated in the mild form. Consultation with specialists in other fields of medicine (ophthalmologist, neurologist, neurosurgeon, psychiatrist) is advisable in all cases.