TY - JOUR
T1 - Extensive traumatic pneumomediastinum. without injuries of organs in the thorax
T2 - report of a case
AU - Okutani, D.
AU - Aoe, M.
AU - Yamane, M.
AU - Hatoh, S.
AU - Toyooka, S.
AU - Sano, Y.
AU - Date, H.
PY - 2007/9
Y1 - 2007/9
N2 - A 57-year-old man was accidentally hit by concrete blocks weighing 3 tons on his right side, and was admitted to a hospital. The radiologic findings taken immediately after trauma demonstrated pneumo-mediastinum, subcutaneous emphysema with multiple rib fractures and right clavicle fracture. At computed tomography (CT) scan 16 hours after trauma, pneumomediastinum and subcutaneous emphysema turned out to be worsened with an increased bilateral pleural effusion. An emergency thoracotomy revealed no abnormalities of trachea or esophagus, and neither bronchoscopy or esophagogastroscopy, showed injuries anywhere inside. The chest cavities and mediastinum were washed well with 3 liters of saline solution. The patient had a good course after surgery without any complications, and was discharged at the 18th hospital day. Mediastinal drainage by an emergency operation should always be a choice to a patient having a progressively worsening pneumomediastinum which might cause tachycardia, low blood pressure, and severe dyspnea due to compression of blood vessels and trachea.
AB - A 57-year-old man was accidentally hit by concrete blocks weighing 3 tons on his right side, and was admitted to a hospital. The radiologic findings taken immediately after trauma demonstrated pneumo-mediastinum, subcutaneous emphysema with multiple rib fractures and right clavicle fracture. At computed tomography (CT) scan 16 hours after trauma, pneumomediastinum and subcutaneous emphysema turned out to be worsened with an increased bilateral pleural effusion. An emergency thoracotomy revealed no abnormalities of trachea or esophagus, and neither bronchoscopy or esophagogastroscopy, showed injuries anywhere inside. The chest cavities and mediastinum were washed well with 3 liters of saline solution. The patient had a good course after surgery without any complications, and was discharged at the 18th hospital day. Mediastinal drainage by an emergency operation should always be a choice to a patient having a progressively worsening pneumomediastinum which might cause tachycardia, low blood pressure, and severe dyspnea due to compression of blood vessels and trachea.
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M3 - Article
C2 - 17877018
AN - SCOPUS:34848911676
VL - 60
SP - 942
EP - 945
JO - Japanese Journal of Thoracic Surgery
JF - Japanese Journal of Thoracic Surgery
SN - 0021-5252
IS - 10
ER -