title: Spontaneous hemothorax associated with von Recklinghausen's disease.
abstract: Spontaneous hemothorax is a rare and life threatening complication of neurofibromatosis. Two types of vascular involvement have been described: (a) stenotic or aneurysmal alterations in large vessels such as the aorta and its branches; and (b) dysplastic features in smaller vessels. Thoracotomy and surgical ligation of the bleeding vessels is primarily indicated in the presence of active bleeding with associated hemodynamic compromise. A more conservative approach with endovascular embolization or non-operative management have also been reported in case of hemodynamic stability. We present a rare case of spontaneous hemothorax treated conservatively in a patient with von Recklinghausen's disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Service de Chirurgie, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois, 1011, Lausanne-CHUV, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Edgardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pezzetta
authors.forename: Alexandre
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Paroz
authors.forename: Hans Beat
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Ris
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Martinet
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001027:Aortography; D005260:Female; D006491:Hemothorax / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D009456:Neurofibromatosis 1 / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed