Bilateral pneumothorax following air bag deployment.
Air bags have been shown to decrease mortality from automobile accidents. Herein is a unique case of bilateral pneumothorax following deployment and rupture of an air bag with no other associated chest trauma. One may posit that rupture of the air bag allowed high-pressure gases to be expelled into the patient's lungs resulting in explosive barotrauma.
Morgenstern
K
K
Department of General Surgery, Allegheny University Hospitals, Hahnemann Division, Philadelphia, PA 19102, USA.
Talucci
R
R
Kaufman
M S
MS
Samuels
L E
LE
D000063:Accidents, Traffic; D000328:Adult; D017278:Air Bags / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001469:Barotrauma / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D055370:Lung Injury; D011030:Pneumothorax / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic; D013906:Thoracoscopy; D013907:Thoracostomy; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed