title: Echocardiographic diagnosis of platypnoea-orthodeoxia syndrome after blunt chest trauma.
abstract: Platypnea-orthodeoxia syndrome is a rare entity most often related to an interatrial right-to-left shunt. We report the case of a patient who developed platypnoea-orthodeoxia shortly after a blunt chest wall trauma. Definite diagnosis was obtained with transoesophageal echocardiography using contrast in upright and recumbent position. A Medline search did not reveal any other case report of the syndrome after chest wall injury.
authors.affiliation: General Hospital Middelheim, Antwerp, Belgium.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Somers
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Slabbynck
authors.forename: B P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Paelinck
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic; D000368:Aged; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004417:Dyspnea / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D011187:Posture; D013577:Syndrome; D013898:Thoracic Injuries / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D014949:Wounds, Nonpenetrating / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery