[A rare complication of multiple exostoses: hemothorax].
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.
Dendale
J
J
Service de pédiatrie, hôpital Gaston-Doumergue, Nîmes, France.
Amram
S
S
Dermakar
S
S
Guillaud
R
R
Lesbros
D
D
D002648:Child; D005097:Exostoses, Multiple Hereditary / Q000150:complications*; D006491:Hemothorax / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male
Une complication rare de la maladie exostosante: l'hémothorax.