Left hemothorax caused by aortic dissection

Hemothorax is generally secondary to trauma, invasive thoracic surgery or specific lung of pleural disease. Hemothorax secondary to aortic dissection is rare. We report a case in a 69-year-old man with a history of smoking and hypertension. The patient was referred for exploration of a left pleural...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Revue de pneumologie clinique 2007-04, Vol.63 (2), p.119-122
Main Authors: Bousnina, S, Zendah, I, Marniche, K, Racil, H, Kachboura, S, Megdiche, M L, Chabbou, A
Format: Article
Language:fre
Subjects:
Aged
Aneurysm, Dissecting - complications
Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic - complications
Hemothorax - etiology
Humans
Male
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Summary:Hemothorax is generally secondary to trauma, invasive thoracic surgery or specific lung of pleural disease. Hemothorax secondary to aortic dissection is rare. We report a case in a 69-year-old man with a history of smoking and hypertension. The patient was referred for exploration of a left pleural opacity with mediastinal widening. Pleural puncture produced a hemorrhagic fluid. The thoracic scan led to the diagnosis of Stanford type B aortic dissection. The patient was given antihypertensive treatment and now has a sixteen month follow-up. Aortic dissection can give rise to hemothorax, especially in a hypertensive subject with an anomalous aortic arch or mediastinal widening on the chest X-ray. Computed tomography generally gives the diagnosis. Treatment may be medical or surgical, depending on the site of the lesion and the severity of the clinical presentation. Aortic dissection is a cause of hemothorax, particularly in patients with favorable conditions or a suggestive radiological anomaly.
ISSN:0761-8417
DOI:10.1016/S0761-8417(07)90113-3