Trauma encompasses a wide variety of insults to the body ranging from motor vehicle accidents, interpersonal violence, falls from great heights, contact sports, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and industrial accidents. Trauma accounts for 10% of deaths among men and women, and is the leading cause of death for those younger than the age of 40 years. Thoracic trauma comprises 10%-15% of all traumas.1 It directly accounts for approximately 25% of trauma-related mortality and is a contributing factor in another 25%.2 The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) states that in 2011, 21,253 occupants of passenger vehicles died in motor vehicle traffic crashes.…