Bochdalek diaphragmatic hernia masquerading as pneumonia--a rare cause of non-traumatic hemothorax.
Hemothorax is defined as collection of blood in the pleural cavity. Massive hemothorax may result in severe respiratory distress. We present an extremely rare cause of non-traumatic hemothorax in a 3 1/2-year-old girl by Bochdalek diaphragmatic hernia (BDH), and that was initially misdiagnosed as pneumonia with massive pleural effusion. Hemothorax masks the clinical and X-ray findings of BDH that makes the diagnosis even more difficult. Delayed or incorrect diagnosis of BDH complicated with respiratory distress leads to the wrong decision-making and the subsequent management, which may result in significant morbidity and mortality. Accordingly, emergency physicians need to be aware of this extremely rare etiology when evaluating pediatric hemothorax in a busy emergency department.
Department of Emergency Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Tao-Yuan, Taiwan. dr.chiu@msa.hinet.net
Chun-Cheng
CC
Chiu
Hsiu-Fen
HF
Yeh
Te-Fa
TF
Chiu
D002675:Child, Preschool; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006491:Hemothorax / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D006548:Hernia, Diaphragmatic / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D011859:Radiography