[Assessment of residual functional impairment after chest trauma (author's transl)].

Inadequate knowledge of the variety of residual functional lesions after a chest trauma accounts for the inconsistent assessment of these sequelae. An accurate analysis of the mode of the accident and the subsequent course greatly helps towards clarifying the situation. A final assessment should not be made until at least one year later, since improvement in respiratory function may still occur up to 12-18 months after the trauma. Tests of respiratory function should include all componente factors (ventilation, mechanics of breathing, diffusion, perfusion). An analysis of 41 cases submitted for assessment of residual respiratory lesions showed that lung scanning is the most sensitive method for detecting such damage. It revealed pathological changes in 94% of the cases, as compared with spirometric test (59%) and examination of the mechanics of breathing (33%). Whether and to what extent reduced perfusion without ergo-spirometric evidence of impairment should qualify as residual damage is a moot point.