Successful treatment of exsanguinating aortic injury from a fractured rib.
A 57-year-old man presented in shock after a 15-foot fall from a ladder. A massive left hemothorax was present. He underwent prompt thoracotomy and was found to have a penetrating injury of the descending thoracic aorta caused by a fractured rib. Successful management of this type of aortic injury has not been previously reported.
Kern
J A
JA
Division of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, University of Virginia Health Sciences Center, Charlottesville, USA.
Chan
B B
BB
Kron
I L
IL
Young
J S
JS
D000058:Accidental Falls; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery; D006491:Hemothorax / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011138:Polytetrafluoroethylene / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019736:Prostheses and Implants; D012253:Rib Fractures / Q000150:complications*; D013908:Thoracotomy; D014949:Wounds, Nonpenetrating / Q000150:complications; D014950:Wounds, Penetrating / Q000601:surgery*
D011138:Polytetrafluoroethylene