[A case of extremely severe chest injury with fracture of several ribs (author's transl)].

A 72-years old man was severely injured when a lorry rolled back and pinned him down, causing contusion of the chest, fractures of ribs 3-10 on the right and haemothorax. Treatment of the chest injuries was by drainage and by positive end-expiratory pressure ventilation because of the development of severe pneumonia with wet lung. Persistent renal insufficiency, a gastro-intestinal haemorrhage and diabetes also required treatment. The patient developed septic endomyocarditis as a late complication, possibly attributable to the central venous catheter. All pulmonary and extrapulmonary injuries and complications could be set right during the patient's 4-months' stay in the intensive care unit.