TY - CHAP M1 - Book, Section TI - Chapter 45. Hilum and Great Vessel Wound Management A1 - Reichman, Eric F. PY - 2013 T2 - Emergency Medicine Procedures, 2e AB - Injuries to the thoracic great vessels can be a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. Large vessels in the hilum of the lung include the pulmonary artery and vein. The great vessels also include the vena cava, aorta, innominate artery, subclavian artery, and subclavian vein. The mortality from injuries to the subclavian artery is approximately 5% if patients who are moribund on admission to the Emergency Department are excluded.1 However, the mortality from injury to the vena cava and the pulmonary vessels is over 60%.2 While over 85% of patients with penetrating injuries to the thorax are stable, the remainder present in varying levels of hypovolemic shock. They may have bled externally or into the chest. Each hemithorax can hold up to one-half of an individual's blood volume. In these cases, an Emergency Department thoracotomy may be performed for hypovolemic shock. SN - PB - The McGraw-Hill Companies CY - New York, NY Y2 - 2024/03/28 UR - accessemergencymedicine.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=57704601 ER -