Hemo-pneumothorax

Case contributed by Dijendra Nath Biswas
Diagnosis almost certain

Presentation

Penetrating injury by iron rod in the left side of the neck.

Patient Data

Age: 20 years
Gender: Male

PA view

x-ray

Large pneumothorax with collapse of the left lung and a gas-fluid level at the base.

Air in the soft tissues at the superior thoracic aperture marks the path of the iron rod.

Case Discussion

The iron rod penetrated the apical pleura on the left side, causing traumatic hemopneumothorax.

The patient was treated with an intercostal chest drain. (Follow-up X-ray is not available.)

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