title: Spontaneous Hemothorax, A Rare Face of Vertebral Osteochondroma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Osteochondroma is the most common benign tumor of the bone. It is usually asymptomatic, but complications may result from mechanical injury to adjacent anatomic structures, such as the diaphragm and lung, when located intrathoracically.
  
  
  METHODS
  We report the unusual occurrence of a large hemothorax and lacerated right diaphragm in a 41-year-old woman caused by vertebral osteochondroma affecting the eleventh thoracic vertebra. Thoracoscopic exploration with resection of the osteochondroma and repair of the diaphragm was performed. WHY SHOULD AN EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN BE AWARE OF THIS?: Spontaneous hemothorax is a potential life-threatening condition when the initial diagnosis is postponed and hemodynamic instability and hypovolemic shock occurs. Osteochondroma as a cause of spontaneous hemothorax is uncommon but may require urgent surgical intervention with video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery of thoracotomy to control the hemorrhage and prevent recurrence.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, University Hospital Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sainte
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, University Hospital Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Herbert
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Decaluwé
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, University Hospital Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vanbrabant
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002637:Chest Pain / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration; D005260:Female; D006491:Hemothorax / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000473:pathology; D015831:Osteochondroma / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D011859:Radiography / Q000379:methods; D012422:Rupture, Spontaneous / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods
keywords: diaphragmatic injury; osteochondroma; spontaneous hemothorax; vertebral exostosis