title: Cerebral infarct complicating traumatic pneumatocele: a rare sequela following blunt chest trauma.
abstract: Systemic air embolism is known to rarely complicate blunt chest trauma. However, cerebral infarction caused by air emboli possibly originating from a traumatic pneumatocele has not been previously reported. We report a case of a 46-year-old woman who sustained blunt chest trauma with multiple rib and clavicular fractures, hemothorax and a huge, tense traumatic pneumatocele. She subsequently developed clinical and radiologic features of cerebral infarction. The cerebral infarct is likely to be secondary to cerebral air embolism originating from a traumatic pneumatocele.
authors.affiliation: Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital-Thoracic Surgery, Irrua, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Emeka
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kesieme
authors.forename: Manfred
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Feldmann
authors.forename: Katrin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Welcker
authors.forename: Albert
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Linder
authors.forename: Georgi
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Prisadov
mesh_terms: D000388:Air; D002544:Cerebral Infarction / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D002968:Clavicle / Q000293:injuries; D003560:Cysts / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006491:Hemothorax / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D009104:Multiple Trauma / Q000150:complications*; D035583:Rare Diseases; D012253:Rib Fractures / Q000150:complications / Q000209:etiology; D013898:Thoracic Injuries / Q000150:complications*; D013908:Thoracotomy; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014949:Wounds, Nonpenetrating / Q000150:complications* / Q000209:etiology