A clinical evaluation was performed on 1, 110 cases of chest trauma treated at the Department of Chest Surgery, Chonnam University Hospital, during the past 23 years from January 1968 to June 1990. The ratio of male to female was 5.5: 1. The most common causes of chest trauma was stab wounds in penetrating trauma and traffic accidents in nonpenetrating trauma. The most common injuries in chest trauma were hemothorax in penetrating trauma and rib fracture in nonpenetrating trauma. Hemothorax or pneumothorax was observed in 592 cases [53.3%] of the total cases and rib fracture was observed in 527 cases[47.5%] of the total cases. Rib fracture was prevalent from the 3th to 8th rib, and 1st and 2nd rib fractures were associated with major thoracic injuries and other organ injuries. Open thoracotomy was performed in 163 cases[14.7%] and conservative nonoperative treatment in the others. Overall mortality rate was 8.5%[94 cases], and common causes of the death were shock and respiratory insufficiency.