Late presentation of delayed hemothorax after blunt chest trauma in a patient with impaired liver function

Georg Authried; Ane Søgaard Teisner; Michael Stenger

doi:10.4081/cdr.6.5673

Late presentation of delayed hemothorax after blunt chest trauma in a patient with impaired liver function

https://doi.org/10.4081/cdr.6.5673

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Vol. 6 No. 1 (2016)

Submitted: 17 December 2015
Accepted: 5 August 2016

Published: 8 November 2016

Delayed hemothorax, Blunt chest trauma, Impaired liver function

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Authors

Georg Authried Department of Emergency Medicine, Odense University Hospital, Odense; Department of Dermatology and Allergy, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark.
Ane Søgaard Teisner Department of Emergency Medicine, Odense University Hospital, Odense; Department of Medical Gastrointestinal Diseases, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark.
Michael Stenger
michael.stenger@rsyd.dk
Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark.

Delayed hemothorax (DHTX) after blunt chest trauma (BCT) is fairly uncommon but nevertheless associated with a substantial morbidity. DTHX is often related to several or displaced rib fractures and usually presented within the first few days or weeks after the chest trauma. We present a case with an unusual late presentation of DTHX 4½ months following a BCT with several non-displaced rib fractures after falling down a staircase. Furthermore, we argue that patients with impaired liver function may have an increased risk of bleeding complications after BCT with associated rib fractures and should be considered for more intensive follow-up.

Authried, G., Søgaard Teisner, A., & Stenger, M. (2016). Late presentation of delayed hemothorax after blunt chest trauma in a patient with impaired liver function. Chest Disease Reports, 6(1). https://doi.org/10.4081/cdr.6.5673