Spontaneous hemothorax in patients with von Recklinghausen’s disease

Spontaneous massive intrathoracic bleeding is rare except for the rupture of aortic aneurysm or pleural adhesions in association with pneumothorax. We encountered two cases of critical massive hemothorax in patients with von Recklinghausen's disease (type I neurofibromatosis). Case 1; a 59-year-old female suddenly experienced severe back pain followed by syncope and shock. The hemothorax was caused by a bleeding of diffuse type neurofibroma of the parietal pleura and she underwent thoracotomy and surgical ligation of the bleeding vessels. Case 2; a 46-year-old male suddenly suffered back pain and fainted while driving. An intercostal aneurysmal rupture caused a spontaneous hemothorax and he underwent chest tube drainage followed by endovascular coil embolization. We reviewed 23 cases reported in the literature, including our two cases. Spontaneous hemothorax in patients with von Recklinghausen's disease is a life-threatening syndrome and may require emergency surgical or endovascular embolization.     

Hemothorax: an unusual complication of costal exostosis

We report a case of a spontaneous hemothorax in a 15-year-old girl because of costal exostosis. This possibly may have been provoked by a nontraumatic rupture of markedly dilated pleural vessels because of long-standing friction between the exostosis and the pleura. The authors conclude that exostosis of the rib is a rare cause of hemothorax in children and should be considered among possible etiologies in diagnosis.     

The role of videothoracoscopy in management of precordial thoracic penetrating injuries.

OBJECTIVES: To report on the value of diagnostic videothoracoscopy in patients with possible penetrating cardiac wounds. METHODS: Thirteen patients admitted over a 4 year period with hemodynamic stability and a penetrating injury in cardiac proximity had exploratory videothoracoscopy. All data related to those patients were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: Eighty-five percent of patients had videothoracoscopy within 8 h of trauma. In most cases (eight of 13), operations were performed on patients in the supine position with the chest slightly rotated. Nine patients had a left hemothorax, five had pulmonary lacerations and five had a bleeding parietal vessel. Pericardial exploration was achieved either by direct vision (nine patients), or by the performance of a pericardial window (four patients). Acute hemopericardium related to a cardiac wound was diagnosed in two patients. Procedures included evacuation of clotted hemothorax (six patients), stapling of pulmonary laceration (four patients), and electrocoagulation of bleeding parietal vessel (four patients). Four patients required conversion to thoracotomy: two for repair of a cardiac wound, one for adequate exposure of the pericardium and one for ligation of a bleeding intercostal artery. The mean operative time was 37+/-23 min. Two patients experienced postoperative complications (coagulopathy, subcutaneous emphysema) and the in-hospital mortality was 0%. The mean hospital stay was 10+/-4 days. CONCLUSIONS: In the hands of an experienced surgeon, videothoracoscopy may represent a valid alternative to subxiphoid pericardial window in patients with hemodynamic stability and a suspected cardiac wound. Videothoracoscopy can rule out a cardiac injury and allows for the performance of associated procedures such as diaphragm assessment/repair, evacuation of clotted hemothorax, hemostasis of parietal vessels or pulmonary laceration and removal of projectiles.     

Idiopathic Massive Spontaneous Hemothorax: Adhesion Disruption

Background  Hemothorax has been reported to occur along with spontaneous pneumothorax due to adhesion disruption. Rupture of pleural adhesions spontaneously or after unnoticeable trivial trauma causing massive hemothorax alone is rare. Methods  We present a series of seven cases of idiopathic massive spontaneous hemothorax due to adhesion disruption, of which all required emergency thoracotomy with ligation or cauterization of bleeding adhesions. Results  Six patients had bleeding pleural lung adhesions of which five involved the upper lobes. Another had bleeding from pleuropericardial adhesions. All patients are doing well on follow-up. Conclusions  Disruption of pleural adhesions may cause massive hemothorax, requiring early surgical intervention. After thoracotomy the outcome in these patients is excellent.     

A rare case of bilateral massive hemothorax from spontaneous rupture of a primary mediastinal mixed germ cell tumor

Spontaneous rupture of a mediastinal germ cell tumor, while rare, is always accompanied by bleeding. In this report, we describe a case of a primary mediastinal mixed germ cell tumor that presented with bilateral massive hemothorax and hemorrhagic shock. An urgent thoracotomy, which was performed to control bleeding, confirmed bilateral hemothorax secondary to a ruptured mediastinal tumor. Pathologic diagnosis revealed the mediastinal tumor to be mixed choriocarcinoma and immature teratoma, with lung metastatic choriocarcinoma. The patient recovered well from the operation and received salvage chemotherapy. Two years after diagnosis, the patient remains in remission with no evidence of disease.     

Spontaneous hemothorax caused by intrathoracic synovial sarcoma.

Synovial sarcoma, which is a soft tissue malignancy, primarily affects the extremities in the para-articular regions in adolescents and young adults. Synovial sarcoma of the pleural cavity is extremely uncommon, and there have been only a few reports in the literature. We report here an unusual case of left-sided spontaneous hemothorax as a presenting manifestation of intrathoracic synovial sarcoma in a 33-year-old pregnant woman. Spontaneous hemothorax, unrelated to trauma, is a very unusual clinical presentation, but we must consider entities with a physical risk assessment promptly because of the possible need for urgent management based on the hemodynamic condition of the patient. We should always be aware of possible causes of spontaneous hemothorax.     

Acute contralateral hemothorax after cannulation of the left subclavian vein for hemodialysis

Contralateral hemothorax after subclavian vein cannulation is a rare complication of this procedure. We report one case of acute contralateral hemothorax due to perforation of the superior vena cava during left subclavian vein cannulation for hemodialysis. Perforation was attributed to the forced insertion of the skin dilator, which was accidentally pushed too far. Chest pain began immediately after perforation and was followed, a few minutes later, by hemodynamic instability. The signs and symptoms described in this report may serve to warn of the possibility of this complication.     

Videothoracoscopic treatment of postoperative bleedings and its' complications by thoracic traumas

35 patients, operated on the thoracic trauma (ISS - 9±3), had videothoracoscopy on the reason of the continued bleeding (n=6), clotted hemothorax (n=27) or pleura empyem (n=2). The best results were obtained in case of the clotted hemothorax thoracoscopic evacuation wihin 3 days after bledding. Even the late use of videothoracoscopic procedures for the treatment of postoperative complications shortens the hospital stay in comparison with the traditional methods. The video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery is an accurate and safe method for the postoperative bleeding complications in hemodynamically stable patients.     

Spontaneous hemomediastinum and hemothorax after dissecting bronchial artery aneurysm

Spontaneous hemomediastinum is a rare pathological event due to bleeding disorders, mediastinal organ hemorrhage or idiopathic causes. It usually presents with chest pain and dyspnea, which can lead to confusion with other clinical conditions. The election diagnostic method is computed tomography and treatment depends on underlying etiology, aimed on controlling hemorrhages, if present. In this paper, we present a case of spontaneous hemomediastinum and hemothorax after bronchial artery aneurysm dissection treated with endovascular embolization and chest drainage.     

Atraumatic haemarthrosis following total knee replacement treated with selective embolisation

Spontaneous haemarthrosis in the absence of anticoagulant medication or a bleeding disorder is a very rare complication after total knee arthroplasty. A case of recurrent spontaneous haemarthrosis following total knee replacement in a 69-year-old patient is reported. Angiography was used to aid the diagnosis. It demonstrated an abnormal blush of vessels around the anterior aspect of the knee joint, that was fed by genicular branches and a recurrent branch of the anterior tibial artery. Selective embolisation of the bleeding vessels with coils led to immediate control of the bleeding. No further recurrence of haemarthrosis has been recorded.     

Mediastinal Ancient Schwannoma Causing Intrathoracic Bleeding

Spontaneous hemothorax caused by the rupture of a benign schwannoma has rarely been reported. Herein, we present the successful excision of an extremely rare case of mediastinal ancient schwannoma causing intrathoracic bleeding. A 27-year-old man was admitted to our emergency department because of back pain and dyspnea. Computed tomography revealed massive pleural effusion with a posterior mediastinal tumor. We performed a resection of the tumor which had ruptured, and the tumor was diagnosed as an ancient schwannoma.     

Evolution of surgery

The problem of hemothorax has been presented from the standpoint of its pathology and management. The results of the experiences encountered in this war have cleared some doubt and uncertainty in regard to treatment and have offered many of us an opportunity to observe the pathology of hemothorax. The mortality and morbidity of chest wounds in this war has been greatly improved in this war by: (1) Excellent early primary surgery in the hospitals in the combat zone; (2) the availability of excellent endotracheal anesthesia; (3) the abundance of the chemotherapeutic agents penicillin and sulfanilamide; (4) the abundance and availability of blood and plasma; (5) the recognition of the value of postoperative endotracheal and bronchoscopic suction.Active treatment after careful evaluation, in the form of chest aspirations appears to give the best results as compared to conservative treatment. In the case in which bleeding continues a thoracotomy is indicated. In cases of large clotted hemothorax, thoracotomy and decortication offers a prompt return to a normal anatomical and physiological restoration of the involved lung.     

A 48 year old patient with bilateral spontaneous hemothorax-difficulties in evaluation-case report

Spontaneous hemothorax (SH) is a rare disease manifestation and most of the data about SH consist of case reports and case series. Bilateral SH is much more rare entity. Hemothorax is an unusual complication of ruptured thoracic aortic dissection (AoD) and occurs usually on the left hemithorax. It is often difficult to diagnose AoD preclinically due to its many possible symptoms. We present a case of bilateral SH due to ruptured acute aortic dissection in a patient with no pre-existing risk factors for AoD. Differential diagnoses of spontaneous hemothorax and difficulties in AoD evaluation are also discussed in this report.     

Massive spontaneous hemothorax associated with Von Recklinghausen's disease

A 30-year-old woman with Von Recklinghausen's disease was admitted to our hospital because of sudden onset of dyspnea and syncope. A chest roentgenogram showed a massive right pleural effusion and insertion of an intercostal tube drained 1,600 cc of blood. A computed tomographic chest scan with contrast revealed a hyperdense mass in the right paravertebral area. At thoracotomy, retained clotted hemothorax and continued bleeding from tumor vessels was noted. The apex of the right hemithorax and the tumor location was packed. The pathologic diagnosis was ganglioneuroma and follow-up of the patient for 2 years after re-thoracotomy and removal of the packs revealed no complication and morbidity. We report this case to emphasize the importance of early recognition and prompt surgical intervention in spontaneous hemothorax associated with Von Recklinghausen's disease.     

Intralobar sequestration presenting as a large intrapulmonary hematoma and massive hemothorax

Intralobar sequestration is a relatively rare anomaly that is usually diagnosed with symptoms of cough, expectoration, or recurrent pneumonia. We experienced a case of a 27-year-old man with a symptom of massive hemoptysis. His chest computed tomography (CT) scan revealed a large intrapulmonary hematoma and massive hemothorax, mimicking a benign lung tumor ruptured into the pleural cavity. We should keep the possibility of this anomaly in mind if a patient with hemoptysis has a cystic lung tumor and hemothorax on CT scan.     

Thoracoscopic treatment of pulmonary sequestration.

OBJECTIVE: Pulmonary sequestration is a rare congenital malformation and may be the cause of recurrent infections or hemoptysis. It has been shown in case reports that resection by video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) is feasible despite the possible technical difficulties due to inflammatory changes, but its role has not been evaluated yet in a larger series of consecutively treated patients. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of all consecutively thoracoscopically treated patients (between January 1991 and January 2005) with pulmonary sequestration in a single center. We included 14 patients in the study who fulfilled the criteria; seven were women. Median age was 33 years (20-64 years). The following data were analyzed for all patients: major symptoms, diagnostic procedures, treatment, and outcome. Operative parameters and findings including operating time, blood loss, anatomical location of the sequestration, and feeding vessels were evaluated. RESULTS: Leading symptoms were recurrent infections (10), hemoptysis (3), and chest discomfort (1). The diagnosis was made by CT scan. Additionally, an arteriography or an angio-MRI was done in three patients and one patient, respectively. Thirteen intralobar (all lower lobes, eight on the right) and one left-sided extralobar pulmonary sequestration were resected. We performed eight lobectomies, four atypical segmentectomies, one extralobar resection, and one occlusion of the aberrant artery. One case had to be converted to a thoracotomy due to bleeding from the aberrant artery. There was no mortality. Complications included pneumonia in three cases, one hemothorax, one pneumothorax after removing the chest tube, and one wound infection. All were treated conservatively. CONCLUSION: Thoracoscopic treatment of pulmonary sequestration is feasible in experienced hands. The aberrant systemic artery can be freed and dissected safely despite the frequently occurring inflammatory changes. Conversion rate to thoracotomy is low.     

Lebensbedrohliche Blutungen im Rahmen von penetrierenden Verletzungen

Penetrating injuries are most often associated with firearm or stab wounds and are relatively rare in Germany. Injuries of great vessels may cause fatal bleeding and time until surgical management is the most important factor for survival. Therefore, the scoop and run strategy with permissive hypotension is favored in the field in order to allow surgery as fast as possible. The indications for thoracotomy and laparotomy mainly depend on the hemodynamic status of the patient: the combination of penetrating torso injury with hemodynamic instability is always an indication for emergency surgery. Adequate resuscitation in the clinic is an important adjunct but should however, never delay surgery.     

Pulmonary artery disruption from blunt thoracic trauma

Blunt chest trauma occurs in up to 50 per cent of all fatal motor vehicle accidents and is the primary cause of death in 12-25 per cent; yet only 15 per cent of patients with chest trauma arriving alive to the emergency department require early thoracotomy. Pulmonary artery disruption from blunt trauma is extremely rare. Two patients both women, older and obese with multiple rib fractures and little pulmonary parenchymal damage are reported. Neither had injury to the aorta, heart or intra-abdominal organs. One patient survived after lateral repair of the left main pulmonary artery and the other exsanguinated from a laceration of the right main pulmonary artery. Intrapericardial exposure of the proximal pulmonary arteries may be necessary for control of hemorrhage. Trauma surgeons should be familiar with this technique. Indications for immediate thoracotomy should include: massive hemothorax (greater than 1000 ml), continued bleeding greater than 300 ml in the first hour, bleeding greater than 200 ml/hr for 5 hours, or increasing hemothorax in spite of tube thoracostomy. Close adherence to these guidelines would have allowed both patients to be explored earlier.     

Videothoracoscopy in the diagnosis and treatment of hemothorax

Video assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) has assumed greater importance in the management of pleural diseases. From 1994 to 1998 the Authors report their experience about 11 cases of hemothoraces depending on various causes: 6 hemothoraces and 3 hemopneumothoraces, some spontaneous or iatrogenic, others in patients with chest trauma; 2 clotted hemothoraces. All patients were studied by VAT detecting the source of bleeding in 6 cases of acute hemothorax and in 3 cases of acute hemopneumothorax; in 5 cases the lesions were successfully repaired with thoracoscopic technique. In others 4 patients the VATS approach was converted to thoracotomy for the seriousness of lesions: 3 acute hemothoraces (1 patient with penetrating thoracic firearms injury, 1 patient with extended lung laceration, 1 patient with iatrogenic lesion of right subclavian artery); 1 acute hemopneumothorax in one patient with penetrating thoracic firearms injury and left hemidiaphragmatic double perforation: in this case laparotomy was also operated in order to exclude others abdominal lesions. 2 cases of clotted hemothorax were operated by VATS performing the removal of clots after their fragmentation by endobabcock and pleural irrigation-aspiration with physiological solution. No procedure related complications were occurred. The authors conclude that the video-thoracoscopic approach is certainly advantageous for the management of spontaneous, traumatic or iatrogenic acute hemothoraces. This technique permits, with minimal traumatism and very little complications, the correct therapeutic programming (VATS operation or conversion to thoracotomy). However some hemothoraces (hemothoraces in patients with serious cranial trauma, with spleen rupture, with great vessels rupture, with heart rupture or with massive post-operating hemothorax) contro-indicate the thoracoscopic treatment: immediate thoracotomy and/or laparotomy, in these cases, is indispensable. In the treatment of clotted hemothoraces the VATS is a favourable alternative to thoracotomy, reforming the pleural cavity with minimal traumatism and avoiding tardive complications.     

Intrathoracic chronic expanding hematoma; report of a case

A case of a patient with a intrathoracic chronic expanding hematoma presenting as a neoplasm is reported. A chronic encapsulated intrathoracic hematoma is rare condition and is clinically included in a category of chronic hemorrhagic empyemas as a type of chronic empyemas in Japan. The clinical picture of our case suggested a slowly growing tumor. Though needle biopsy was performed, only blood was aspirated. Intraoperative findings revealed a intrathoracic hematoma with a tough capsule. It adhered to the chest wall hardly. Histopathological investigations revealed that the capsule consisted of a collagenous outer layer and a newly vascularized inner layer with fibrosis. Hemosiderin deposits suggested recurrent bleeding from fragile vessels. The mechanisms of hematoma formation and its expanding nature are discussed. The hematoma appeared to have been enlarged by repeated exudation or bleeding from capillaries inside the capsule.