Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsCauses and Risk FactorsSymptomsImagingComplicationsTreatment and ManagementRecovery and RehabilitationPrevention
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Causes and Risk Factors
Symptoms
Imaging
Complications
Treatment and Management
Recovery and Rehabilitation
Prevention
This article explores pulmonary contusion causes, symptoms, and recovery timeline.
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Pulmonary Contusion Causes and Risk Factors
Blunt force injuries are the cause most chest traumas. It’s possible to develop a pulmonary contusion without a traumatic injury, but the most common causes of pulmonary contusions are:
Causes of Lung Pain and Treatment Options
Pulmonary Contusion Symptoms
The symptoms that can appear early on with bruised lungs can mimic those of other chest injuries. If you develop a pulmonary contusion, you may experience symptoms like:
Pulmonary contusions can’t be seen with the naked eye and are often only diagnosed once severe complications occur.
How and When to Use Chest Seals
Pulmonary Contusion on X-Ray
If you or a loved one sustains a traumatic chest injury, the healthcare team will first evaluate symptoms and vital measurements like heart rate, blood pressure, and oxygen saturation. Once your condition is stabilized, they will do imaging studies to investigate the full extent of your injuries.
Achest X-rayand ultrasound can provide enough information for a diagnosis. However, a computed tomography (CT) scan is more comprehensive, and most providers prefer this option when available.
On an X-ray, a bruised lung can appear as an area of patchy shadowing or consolidation, but an X-ray may not detect early damage.
A CT scan can provide more detailed images of the lung and surrounding areas. This is important since blunt chest injuries can impact more than just the lungs. CT imaging allows healthcare providers to examine surrounding spaces and vessels in the chest cavity for related damage.
Short- and Long-Term Pulmonary Contusion Complications
There are short-term and long-term problems that can arise from a pulmonary contusion.
Immediately after the injury, a pulmonary contusion can lead to complications such as:
Pulmonary contusions are serious injuries that usually require prolonged hospitalization and treatment. The long-term consequences of a pulmonary contusion will depend heavily on the extent of the initial damage, what complications developed, and how quickly or effectively these problems were treated.
When complications like ARDS and pneumonia develop from a pulmonary contusion, long-term respiratory failure is a genuine threat. Long-term respiratory failure carries a mortality rate of between 10% and 25%.
More severe pulmonary contusions are also associated with more extensive treatments like prolonged stays in a critical care unit and extended use of mechanical ventilation.
Traumatic injuries are often complex, which could contribute to a missed or late diagnosis of pulmonary contusion. Pulmonary contusions can heal without complications in a week or less when recognized and treated appropriately.
Healthcare providers monitor pulmonary contusions closely to identify complications and prevent respiratory failure. Additional management strategies include:
With complications, invasive oxygen therapy like intubation and mechanical ventilation are possible options. If complications progress to ARDS,prone(lying on your stomach) positioning and other intensive treatments may follow.
Overall, treatment for pulmonary contusion isn’t always predictable. Early detection, diagnosis, and treatment are vital in preventingrespiratory failure, but complications are common.
Pulmonary Contusion Recovery and Rehabilitation
Supportive care like oxygen therapy and good respiratory hygiene can help reduce the likelihood of severe complications.
The goals of recovery and rehabilitation for a pulmonary contusion are to ensure the following:
Healthcare providers advise those recovering from a pulmonary contusion to cough and take regular deep breaths to keep their lungs clear and support recovery.
Prevention measures for pulmonary contusions are standard safety measures aimed at avoiding traumatic injuries. These include things like:
These steps can help prevent traumatic injuries, but not entirely. It’s important to seek immediate medical care in the event of chest trauma to quickly detect and treat bruised or damaged lungs.
Summary
A pulmonary contusion is a common traumatic chest injury and one that can cause significant short- and long-term complications. Standard safety measures to prevent traumatic injury, like wearing a seat belt, can help you avoid these injuries. Treatment when these injuries do happen often requires hospitalization and sometimes prolonged intensive care.
If you’ve had an injury to the chest, see a healthcare provider for a full assessment to prevent a missed diagnosis and severe consequences.
7 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Rendeki S, Molnár TF.Pulmonary contusion.J Thorac Dis. 2019;11(Suppl 2):S141-S151. doi:10.21037/jtd.2018.11.53.Dogrul BN, Kiliccalan I, Asci ES, Peker SC.Blunt trauma related chest wall and pulmonary injuries: an overview.Chin J Traumatol. 2020;23(3):125-138. doi:10.1016/j.cjtee.2020.04.003MedlinePlus.Blue discoloration of the skin.Rendeki S, Molnár TF.Pulmonary contusion.J Thorac Dis.2019;11:S141-S151. doi:10.21037/jtd.2018.11.53Zingg SW, et al.The association between pulmonary contusion severity and respiratory failure.Respiratory Care.2022;67(9):1100-1108. doi:10.4187/respcare.09913Choudhary S, Pasrija D, Mendez MD.Pulmonary contusion. In: StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing, Treasure Island (FL); 2023. PMID: 32644340.Kaiser Permanente.Pulmonary contusion: care instructions.
7 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Rendeki S, Molnár TF.Pulmonary contusion.J Thorac Dis. 2019;11(Suppl 2):S141-S151. doi:10.21037/jtd.2018.11.53.Dogrul BN, Kiliccalan I, Asci ES, Peker SC.Blunt trauma related chest wall and pulmonary injuries: an overview.Chin J Traumatol. 2020;23(3):125-138. doi:10.1016/j.cjtee.2020.04.003MedlinePlus.Blue discoloration of the skin.Rendeki S, Molnár TF.Pulmonary contusion.J Thorac Dis.2019;11:S141-S151. doi:10.21037/jtd.2018.11.53Zingg SW, et al.The association between pulmonary contusion severity and respiratory failure.Respiratory Care.2022;67(9):1100-1108. doi:10.4187/respcare.09913Choudhary S, Pasrija D, Mendez MD.Pulmonary contusion. In: StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing, Treasure Island (FL); 2023. PMID: 32644340.Kaiser Permanente.Pulmonary contusion: care instructions.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Rendeki S, Molnár TF.Pulmonary contusion.J Thorac Dis. 2019;11(Suppl 2):S141-S151. doi:10.21037/jtd.2018.11.53.Dogrul BN, Kiliccalan I, Asci ES, Peker SC.Blunt trauma related chest wall and pulmonary injuries: an overview.Chin J Traumatol. 2020;23(3):125-138. doi:10.1016/j.cjtee.2020.04.003MedlinePlus.Blue discoloration of the skin.Rendeki S, Molnár TF.Pulmonary contusion.J Thorac Dis.2019;11:S141-S151. doi:10.21037/jtd.2018.11.53Zingg SW, et al.The association between pulmonary contusion severity and respiratory failure.Respiratory Care.2022;67(9):1100-1108. doi:10.4187/respcare.09913Choudhary S, Pasrija D, Mendez MD.Pulmonary contusion. In: StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing, Treasure Island (FL); 2023. PMID: 32644340.Kaiser Permanente.Pulmonary contusion: care instructions.
Rendeki S, Molnár TF.Pulmonary contusion.J Thorac Dis. 2019;11(Suppl 2):S141-S151. doi:10.21037/jtd.2018.11.53.
Dogrul BN, Kiliccalan I, Asci ES, Peker SC.Blunt trauma related chest wall and pulmonary injuries: an overview.Chin J Traumatol. 2020;23(3):125-138. doi:10.1016/j.cjtee.2020.04.003
MedlinePlus.Blue discoloration of the skin.
Rendeki S, Molnár TF.Pulmonary contusion.J Thorac Dis.2019;11:S141-S151. doi:10.21037/jtd.2018.11.53
Zingg SW, et al.The association between pulmonary contusion severity and respiratory failure.Respiratory Care.2022;67(9):1100-1108. doi:10.4187/respcare.09913
Choudhary S, Pasrija D, Mendez MD.Pulmonary contusion. In: StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing, Treasure Island (FL); 2023. PMID: 32644340.
Kaiser Permanente.Pulmonary contusion: care instructions.
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