As a crime writer, you know that finding ways to kill off your characters is part and parcel of the plot creation process. So to help you out, here is a list of chest injuries.
Although serious, all of these injuries are survivable with timely medical intervention.
So, you can choose whether to keep your readers in suspense while your character's life hangs by a thread; or, maybe, prevent the ambulance from reaching him or her in time. Whichever way you want to write it, I hope you'll find this list useful for your storylines.
WARNING: If you are squeamish, you may want to give the videos a miss.
Although serious, all of these injuries are survivable with timely medical intervention.
So, you can choose whether to keep your readers in suspense while your character's life hangs by a thread; or, maybe, prevent the ambulance from reaching him or her in time. Whichever way you want to write it, I hope you'll find this list useful for your storylines.
WARNING: If you are squeamish, you may want to give the videos a miss.
Chest Injuries that can kill quickly
Windpipe Blockage
If a person's windpipe becomes blocked, oxygen cannot reach their lungs and without treatment, death is rapid.
Windpipe blockage is commonly caused by a person accidentally 'inhaling' a piece of meat. This results in the so-called 'café coronary', because the symptoms mimic a heart attack.
Another cause of windpipe blockage is an allergic reaction, which causes swelling of the lips, mouth and throat, subsequently preventing air from reaching the lungs.
If a person receives severe blows to the face, their tongue may fall back and block the flow of air to the windpipe.
If a person's windpipe becomes blocked, oxygen cannot reach their lungs and without treatment, death is rapid.
Windpipe blockage is commonly caused by a person accidentally 'inhaling' a piece of meat. This results in the so-called 'café coronary', because the symptoms mimic a heart attack.
Another cause of windpipe blockage is an allergic reaction, which causes swelling of the lips, mouth and throat, subsequently preventing air from reaching the lungs.
If a person receives severe blows to the face, their tongue may fall back and block the flow of air to the windpipe.
Pneumothorax
Pneumothorax is another name for a collapsed lung. There are two main types of pneumothorax.
1. Tension Pneumothorax
The lung collapses owing to a stab or bullet wound or even by being penetrated by the end of a broken rib. As a consequence, there is a progressive build-up of air in the pleural space, because air leaves the damaged lung but cannot return. (The pleural space is the space between the pleural membranes that surround the lungs and the chest cavity).
The build-up of air causes the heart and the great blood vessels to be pushed to the opposite side of the chest.
The heart is unable to pump properly so oxygen cannot get to the body's vital organs. The victim may suffer cardiac arrest because of circulatory instability.
2. Open Pneumothorax
An open pneumothorax is basically a hole in the chest caused by a stab wound or a bullet. It is called the 'sucking chest wound'.
Every time the victim breathes in, air enters the chest cavity through the hole instead of via the windpipe (trachea). This leads to the victim being unable to ventilate his or her lungs properly and poor oxygenation to the vital organs.
Massive Haemothorax
A haemothorax is a condition where blood from torn vessels leaks into the chest cavity. It can be caused by both blunt and penetrating trauma. A massive haemothorax is defined as the victim having in excess of 1500ml of blood in the chest cavity.
Clearly, the victim will have difficulty breathing and will be suffering from blood loss, which may lead to shock.
Pneumothorax is another name for a collapsed lung. There are two main types of pneumothorax.
1. Tension Pneumothorax
The lung collapses owing to a stab or bullet wound or even by being penetrated by the end of a broken rib. As a consequence, there is a progressive build-up of air in the pleural space, because air leaves the damaged lung but cannot return. (The pleural space is the space between the pleural membranes that surround the lungs and the chest cavity).
The build-up of air causes the heart and the great blood vessels to be pushed to the opposite side of the chest.
The heart is unable to pump properly so oxygen cannot get to the body's vital organs. The victim may suffer cardiac arrest because of circulatory instability.
2. Open Pneumothorax
An open pneumothorax is basically a hole in the chest caused by a stab wound or a bullet. It is called the 'sucking chest wound'.
Every time the victim breathes in, air enters the chest cavity through the hole instead of via the windpipe (trachea). This leads to the victim being unable to ventilate his or her lungs properly and poor oxygenation to the vital organs.
A haemothorax is a condition where blood from torn vessels leaks into the chest cavity. It can be caused by both blunt and penetrating trauma. A massive haemothorax is defined as the victim having in excess of 1500ml of blood in the chest cavity.
Clearly, the victim will have difficulty breathing and will be suffering from blood loss, which may lead to shock.
Cardiac Tamponade
Cardiac tamponade is where the pericardial sac of the heart is filled with blood owing to blunt force trauma, or a penetrating wound (stab, gunshot) to the anterior chest.
In an uninjured person, the pericardial sac (or pericardium) is the bag of tissue that surrounds the heart. The pericardial sac has inner and outer walls which are filled with fluid. This fluid acts as a lubricant for normal heart movement within the chest.
With an untreated cardiac tamponade, the pericardial sac expands, owing to the extra fluid i.e. the blood, and the heart is squeezed. It cannot perform as efficiently, so the victim's blood pressure will drop. The large vessels that carry blood to and from the heart will become obstructed. The victim will die from cardiac arrest brought about by obstructive shock.
Cardiac tamponade is where the pericardial sac of the heart is filled with blood owing to blunt force trauma, or a penetrating wound (stab, gunshot) to the anterior chest.
In an uninjured person, the pericardial sac (or pericardium) is the bag of tissue that surrounds the heart. The pericardial sac has inner and outer walls which are filled with fluid. This fluid acts as a lubricant for normal heart movement within the chest.
With an untreated cardiac tamponade, the pericardial sac expands, owing to the extra fluid i.e. the blood, and the heart is squeezed. It cannot perform as efficiently, so the victim's blood pressure will drop. The large vessels that carry blood to and from the heart will become obstructed. The victim will die from cardiac arrest brought about by obstructive shock.
Flail Chest
This is a blunt force chest injury. It is caused when a rib is broken in two places leaving a 'floating' piece of chest wall in between. In a severe assault, more than one rib would be broken in this way.
This injury results in what is known as 'paradoxical breathing' and the injured chest wall 'flails'. This is what happens.
On inhalation, the injured chest wall collapses in, whereas the uninjured wall moves out.
On exhalation, the injured chest wall moves out, whereas the uninjured wall moves in.
For the victim, this means that their breathing is uneconomical and the transport of oxygen around the body is hampered. Furthermore, the underlying lung tissue is likely to be bruised, which also hinders oxygenation.
This is a blunt force chest injury. It is caused when a rib is broken in two places leaving a 'floating' piece of chest wall in between. In a severe assault, more than one rib would be broken in this way.
This injury results in what is known as 'paradoxical breathing' and the injured chest wall 'flails'. This is what happens.
On inhalation, the injured chest wall collapses in, whereas the uninjured wall moves out.
On exhalation, the injured chest wall moves out, whereas the uninjured wall moves in.
For the victim, this means that their breathing is uneconomical and the transport of oxygen around the body is hampered. Furthermore, the underlying lung tissue is likely to be bruised, which also hinders oxygenation.
Chest Injuries that can take longer to kill
Heart Bruise
Here, a patch of cardiac muscle becomes injured as a result of direct blunt force trauma. The tissue in the region of the impact dies.
If the affected area is large, then the victim will suffer what is known as 'cardiogenic shock'. This means that the heart is so damaged that it is unable to pump as much blood as the body needs.
The condition has a 50 - 75% death rate, even when treated as a medical emergency.
Here, a patch of cardiac muscle becomes injured as a result of direct blunt force trauma. The tissue in the region of the impact dies.
If the affected area is large, then the victim will suffer what is known as 'cardiogenic shock'. This means that the heart is so damaged that it is unable to pump as much blood as the body needs.
The condition has a 50 - 75% death rate, even when treated as a medical emergency.
Lung Bruise
Lung bruising is also caused by direct blunt force trauma. Blood and fluid collect within the alveoli (air sacs) of the lungs and prevent oxygen from reaching the blood stream.
If severe, such an injury may not heal for many weeks - if the victim receives medical attention in time. There is also the possibility that the bruised lung tissue may become hard and, therefore, permanently damaged.
Lung bruising is also caused by direct blunt force trauma. Blood and fluid collect within the alveoli (air sacs) of the lungs and prevent oxygen from reaching the blood stream.
If severe, such an injury may not heal for many weeks - if the victim receives medical attention in time. There is also the possibility that the bruised lung tissue may become hard and, therefore, permanently damaged.
Torn Aorta
The aorta is the largest artery in the body. It rises from the left ventricle of the heart, forms an arch and then extends down to the abdomen where it divides into two smaller arteries. The aorta carries oxygenated blood away from the heart.
The aorta may become lacerated as a result of a car accident. At worst, death will be instantaneous, as the chest cavity fills with blood when the aorta is ripped open. At best, the tear in the aorta may be small and can be repaired by surgery - assuming a correct diagnosis is made at the hospital. The victim may be suffering from shock as the result of blood leakage from the tear.
The aorta is the largest artery in the body. It rises from the left ventricle of the heart, forms an arch and then extends down to the abdomen where it divides into two smaller arteries. The aorta carries oxygenated blood away from the heart.
The aorta may become lacerated as a result of a car accident. At worst, death will be instantaneous, as the chest cavity fills with blood when the aorta is ripped open. At best, the tear in the aorta may be small and can be repaired by surgery - assuming a correct diagnosis is made at the hospital. The victim may be suffering from shock as the result of blood leakage from the tear.
Torn Diaphragm
The diaphragm is the sheet of muscle that separates the chest from the abdominal contents. Injures to the diaphragm can be caused by blunt trauma or penetration.
With blunt trauma, the diaphragm effectively bursts, whereas a penetrating wound may cause small holes in the diaphragm.
Here is a video showing surgery to repair a torn diaphragm. The injury was sustained as a result of a car accident.
He was a very lucky man, as I'm sure you'll agree.
The diaphragm is the sheet of muscle that separates the chest from the abdominal contents. Injures to the diaphragm can be caused by blunt trauma or penetration.
With blunt trauma, the diaphragm effectively bursts, whereas a penetrating wound may cause small holes in the diaphragm.
Here is a video showing surgery to repair a torn diaphragm. The injury was sustained as a result of a car accident.
He was a very lucky man, as I'm sure you'll agree.
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