title: [A rare complication of multiple exostoses: hemothorax].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hemothorax is a rare complication of hereditary multiple exostosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 12 year-old boy suffered from abrupt thoracic pain, firstly attributed to pleural effusion. He had hereditary multiple exostosis known since the age of 9 years. The patients was given anti-inflammatory drugs and erythromycin but the pleural effusion became more abundant 6 days later requiring thoracentesis which showed hemothorax. All bacteriological and cytologic investigations were negative. X rays, ultra-sonography and CT scan showed several costal exostoses developing into the thoracic cavity. The hemothorax disappeared within 12 days and the patient was well 4 months later, without pleural sequelae.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Hemothorax may be due to internal costal exostosis. It may be cured with thoracentesis; more aggressive therapy should be performed in exceptional cases with severe and/or recurrent bleeding.
authors.affiliation: Service de pédiatrie, hôpital Gaston-Doumergue, Nîmes, France.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dendale
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Amram
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dermakar
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Guillaud
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lesbros
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D005097:Exostoses, Multiple Hereditary / Q000150:complications*; D006491:Hemothorax / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male
vernacular_title: Une complication rare de la maladie exostosante: l'hémothorax.