[Traumatic asphyxia].

ABSTRACT

Traumatic asphyxia is a commonly used designation of a syndrome related to severe compressive trauma to the thorax. It is characterized by cranial cyanosis, subconjunctival hemorrhage, vascular engorgement of the head, mucosal petechiae, hemoptysis, esophageal and rectal hemorrhage, hematuria, and varying degrees of cerebral dysfunction. By 1985 approximately 210 cases had been reported world-wide. We present an illustrative case in a 24-year-old man.