A Case of Tension Viscerothorax: A Rare Complication of Diaphragmatic Rupture after Blunt Abdominal Trauma.
- Author:
Maeng Real PARK
1
;
Jae Ho LEE
;
Ji Yoon AHN
;
Bum Jin OH
;
Won KIM
;
Kyoung Soo LIM
Author Information
1. Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Korea. kslim@amc.seoul.kr
- Publication Type:Case Report
- Keywords:
Diaphragm;
Blunt injury;
Abdominal injury;
Viscerothorax;
Gastrothorax
- MeSH:
Abdominal Injuries;
Accidents, Traffic;
Child;
Decompression;
Diaphragm;
Emergency Service, Hospital;
Hemodynamics;
Humans;
Male;
Rupture*;
Shock;
Viscera;
Wounds, Nonpenetrating
- From:Journal of the Korean Society of Traumatology
2006;19(2):201-205
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
Tension viscerothorax (gastrothorax) is rare life-threatening disease which is caused by air trapped in viscera. A distended viscera in the hemi-thorax shifts the mediastinal structures and causes extra-cardiac obstructive shock. A defective diaphragm is caused by abdominal trauma or a congenital anomaly. Traumatic diaphragmatic injury can be missed until herniation develops several years after blunt trauma. In our case, a 10-year old boy developed hemodynamic compromise in the emergency department. Three years earlier, he had suffered blunt abdominal trauma during a pedestrian traffic accident, but there was no evidence of diaphragmatic injury at that time. He was successfully resuscitated by gastric decompression and an emergent thoracic operation. The operation finding revealed a traumatic diaphragmatic injury. Tension viscerothorax is a rare, but catastrophic, condition, so we suggest that addition of tension viscerothorax to the Advanced Trauma and Life Support (ATLS) guidelines may be helpful.
