Document Type
Article
Department
Medicine
Abstract
A 67-year-old male with metastatic lung cancer presented with acute shortness of breath and increasing oxygen requirements. He had a decreasing hemoglobin for which he required red blood cell transfusions. His chest x-ray showed near complete white-out of the left lung. Bedside ultrasound (Handheld Sonostar C4PL) showed a large pleural effusion with swirling echogenic material suggestive of plankton sign. The pleural effusion was aspirated and showed frank blood, after which a small-bore chest tube (SBCT) was inserted. A total of 3200ml of blood was drained with the SBCT. There was complete clearance of the pleural space, and no further blood product transfusions were needed. This case highlights that conservative management can be considered in patients with spontaneous hemothorax due to metastatic disease.
Publication (Name of Journal)
Monaldi archives for chest disease
Recommended Citation
Salahuddin, M.,
Ayub, S.
(2023). Spontaneous large volume hemothorax managed with a small-bore chest tube. Monaldi archives for chest disease.
Available at:
https://ecommons.aku.edu/pakistan_fhs_mc_med_med/666
Included in
Community Health and Preventive Medicine Commons, Emergency Medicine Commons, Oncology Commons, Pulmonology Commons, Radiology Commons, Respiratory Tract Diseases Commons, Surgery Commons
Comments
Volume, issue, and pagination are not provided by the author/publisher