Subcutaneous avulsion of the breast caused by a seat belt injury. Report on a case requiring emergency mastectomy.
A 60-year-old female car driver wearing a combined three-point lap-shoulder seat belt was involved in a head-on-collision. The entire right breast was separated from the chest wall, whereas the overlying skin remained intact. The injury resulted in a rapid development of a monstrous haematoma in the retromammary space, and required emergency mastectomy. Seat belt lesions of the female breast are seldom referred in the literature.
Larsen
S
S
Department of Surgery, Buskerud Central Hospital, Drammen, Norway.
Svane
S
S
D000063:Accidents, Traffic; D001940:Breast / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery*; D004630:Emergencies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015413:Mastectomy, Simple; D008875:Middle Aged; D012622:Seat Belts / Q000009:adverse effects*