J Korean Soc Traumatol.  2010 Jun;23(1):49-52.

Hemothorax Without Injury of the Pleural Cavity due to Diaphragmatic and Liver Laceration Caused by a Right Upper Anterior Chest Stab Wound

• Cho KS
• Youn HC
• Kim JH
• Lee SM

Abstract

A hemothorax usually occur, due to injuries to the intercostal and great vessels, pulmonary damage, and sometimes fractured ribs. We report a case in which the hemothorax that occurred, neither intrathoracic injury nor injury to internal thoracic vessels and organs, via lacerated diaphragmatic and liver laceration due to a right upper part of anterior chest stab injury caused by a sharp object. The patient's general conditions gradually worsened, so chest and abdominal computed tomogram were taken. The abdominal computed tomogram revealed diaphragmatic injuries and bleeding from the lacerated liver. We performed an exploratory laparotomy to control the bleeding from the lacerated liver with simple primary sutures. In addition exploration was performed in the right pleural space through the lacerated diaphragm with a thoracoscopic instrument. There were no bleeding foci in the right pleural space, the vessels, or the lung on the thoracoscopic video. Closure of the lacerated diaphragm was achieved with simple, primary sutures. The postoperative course of the patient was uneventful, and the patient was discharged.

Keyword

Stab wound; Thoracoscope; Hemothorax; Diaphragm; Liver

MeSH Terms

Diaphragm
Hemorrhage
Hemothorax
Humans
Lacerations
Laparotomy
Liver
Lung
Pleural Cavity
Ribs
Sutures
Thoracoscopes
Thorax
Wounds, Stab