Although blunt injury to the chest with rupture of the thoracic aorta is a frequent occurrence in vehicular accidents, few victims of this injury reach the hospital alive. Data were obtained from 739 traffic fatalities recorded in Maryland in 1985. Of those victims with complete autopsies, it was determined that 105 or 23.5% had a ruptured thoracic aorta. Characteristics of those accidents are described and contrasted to the other fatalities.
Abstract