Trap-Door Incision for Penetrating Thoracic Trauma : An Obsolete Approach?

Abstract EN

Penetrating injuries to the subclavian vessels are uncommon and very severe lesions.

They are difficult to expose and carry a high mortality.

“Trap-door” incisions have lately been dismissed as too mutilating for the occasional victim of a penetrating thoracic trauma with massive bleeding difficult that is to expose.

We present a case of severe bleeding from a stab wound in the left subclavicular area in a heavy-built patient where a “trap-door” incision proved inevitable to expose and repair the injury, and most probably saved his life.