Main pulmonary artery laceration after blunt trauma: accurate preoperative diagnosis.
Blunt chest trauma is associated with a variety of lethal injuries, many of which are responsible for prehospital mortality. Major intrathoracic vascular injury accounts for a vast majority of these fatal injuries. Patients surviving after main pulmonary artery injury are rare. We present the case of a patient who sustained a main pulmonary artery laceration as a result of a blunt motor vehicle crash. He was diagnosed accurately by computed tomography and underwent successful repair.
Ambrose
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G
Department of Surgery, Nassau County Medical Center, East Meadow, New York 11554, USA.
Barrett
L O
LO
Angus
G L
GL
Absi
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T
Shaftan
G W
GW
D000063:Accidents, Traffic; D000368:Aged; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011651:Pulmonary Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries*; D013898:Thoracic Injuries / Q000150:complications*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014949:Wounds, Nonpenetrating / Q000150:complications*