| The first step in the assessment of chest wall trauma is to quickly rule-out serious injuries to the major internal structures. As we are familiar with the mechanism of injury in this case, the patient"s vital signs and clinical presentation will determine the level of acuity. Abnormal vital signs following blunt trauma are more predictive of severe injury than the mechanism of injury. For example, a minor blow to the chest may cause an increased respiratory rate, decreased or absent lung sounds (signs of a tension pneumothorax) and only create a minor bruise. [18] | | | |