Management of adults with penetrating chest trauma in the emergency department

ED: emergency department; FAST: focused assessment with sonography in trauma; E-FAST: extended FAST (includes pleural imaging); AP: anteroposterior; CXR: chest radiograph; PTX: pneumothorax; CT: computed tomography; IV: intravenous.

* Secondary survey is a history and head-to-toe physical exam.

¶ Signs of life include spontaneous breathing, palpable carotid pulse, measurable blood pressure, electrical cardiac activity, pupillary response to light, and spontaneous extremity movement.

Δ Include abdomen CT if indicated.