The prognosis following a<unk>  depends on its size, the treatment given, and the underlying cause. While small<unk> es may cause little in the way of problems, in severe cases an untreated<unk>  may be rapidly fatal due to uncontrolled blood loss. If left untreated, the accumulation of blood may put pressure on the mediastinum and the trachea, limiting the heart's ability to fill. However, if treated, the prognosis following a traumatic<unk>  is usually favourable and dependent on other non-thoracic injuries that have been sustained at the same time, the age of the person, and the need for mechanical ventilation.<unk> es caused by benign conditions such as endometriosis have a good prognosis, while those caused by neurofibromatosis type 1 has a 36% rate of death, and those caused by aortic rupture are often fatal. Penetrating trauma is significantly less common, and has a much higher death rate, with up to 90% dying before arriving at the hospital. Gunshot wounds are associated with a higher death rates compared to stab wounds. In cases of penetrating trauma involving the heart, less than 1% survive. Complications Complications can occur following a<unk> , and are more likely to occur if the blood has not been adequately drained from the pleural cavity. Blood that remains within the pleural space can become infected, and is known as an empyema. It occurs in 3–4% of traumatic cases, and 27-33% of retained<unk> es. It is more likely in people who develop shock, had a contaminated pleural space during the injury, persistent bronchopleural fistulae, and lung contusions. The likelihood of it can be reduced by keeping thoracostomy tubes sterile and by keeping the pleural surfaces close together to prevent fluid or blood from accumulating between the surfaces. The retained blood can irritate the pleura, causing scar tissue (adhesions) to form. If extensive, this scar tissue can encase the lung, restricting movement of the chest wall, and is then referred to as a fibrothorax. Less than 1 percent of cases go on to develop a fibrothorax. Cases with hemopneumothorax or infection more often develop fibrothorax. After the chest tube is removed, over 10% of cases develop pleural effusions that are mostly self-limited and leave no lasting complications. In such cases, thoracentesis is performed to eliminate the possibility of an infection being present. Other potential complications include atelectasis, lung infection, pneumothorax, sepsis, respiratory distress, hypotension, tachycardia, pneumonia, adhesions, and impaired lung function.
Hemothorax
Pneumothorax
Urinothorax
Traumatic cardiac arrest
Chylothorax
Pulmonary hematoma
Hydropneumothorax
Hemopneumothorax