[Intraspinal air, a rare complication of blunt chest trauma].
Pneumorachis, defined as the presence of air within the spinal canal, has rarely been described, and is exceptionally due to thoracic trauma. We report the case of a 37-year-old patient who sustained a motor vehicle accident. The chest CT-scan showed a bilateral-hemothorax, a small right pneumothorax, rib fractures, and a fracture of the fourth thoracic vertebra associated with air in the spinal canal extending from T6 to L2. The fracture of T4 associated with the pleural lesion is probably responsible for the pneumorachis. Possible pathogenic mechanisms of this rare blunt chest complication are discussed.
Harandou
M
M
Service de réanimation polyvalente, hôpital Al-Ghassani, Fès, Maroc,; Samu 93, EA 3409, hôpital Avicenne, 125, rue de Stalingrad, 93009 Bobigny cedex, France.
Khatouf
M
M
Kanjaa
N
N
Adnet
F
F
Lapostolle
F
F
D000063:Accidents, Traffic; D000328:Adult; D000388:Air; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D006491:Hemothorax / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011030:Pneumothorax / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D012128:Respiratory Distress Syndrome / Q000209:etiology; D012253:Rib Fractures / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D016103:Spinal Fractures / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D013124:Spinal Injuries / Q000150:complications*; D013898:Thoracic Injuries / Q000150:complications*; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae / Q000293:injuries; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014949:Wounds, Nonpenetrating / Q000150:complications*