A case of extrapleural hematoma that was not detectable on initial CT in a patient with pneumonia

Extrapleural hematoma (EH) is an uncommon and occasionally life-threatening condition. Huge EH can cause potentially fatal respiratory and circulatory disturbances. The usual causes of EH are chest trauma, iatrogenic injury, and rupture of a thoracic aortic aneurysm. There have been few reports of EH as a complication of pneumonia. Here we describe a case of EH that was not detectable on initial computed tomography (CT) in a patient with pneumonia despite symptoms suggestive of hemorrhage. A 70- year-old man who had been diagnosed with pneumonia the previous day visited our hospital after developing right upper abdominal pain of sudden onset.

Source: The American Journal of Emergency Medicine - September 29, 2020 Category: Emergency Medicine Authors: Iwasaki Tsutomu, Yuri Kunitani, Hiraku Funakoshi Source Type: research