Management of nonpenetrating stab and gunshot wounds of the chest.

Records of 102 patients with gunshot and stab wounds to the chest but with normal roentgenogram of the chest upon admission were reviewed. There were no delayed hemothoraces or pneumothoraces. The three complications probably resulted from admission to the hospital and would not have occurred if the patients had maintained their normal daily activities. The cost of these admissions was $104,319, and no benefit resulted from them. A significant number of routine studies were done with an extremely low yield. These patients need not be admitted to the hospital unless there is some other compelling clinical factor.