Hemothorax

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Aortic rupture, chest X-ray

Chest tube insertion - series

Respiratory system

The goal of treatment is to stabilize the patient, stop the bleeding, and remove the blood and air in the pleural space. A chest tube is inserted through the chest wall to drain the blood and air. It is left in place for several days to re-expand the lung.

The cause of the hemothorax should be also treated. In trauma patients, depending on the severity of the injury, chest tube drainage is often all that is necessary, and surgery is often not required.

The outcome depends on the underlying cause of the hemothorax and the promptness of the treatment.

• Shock
• Fibrosis or scarring of the pleural membranes
• Death

Call 911 for any penetrating or serious blunt injury to the chest, or if chest pain or shortness of breath occur.

Go to the emergency room or call the local emergency number (such as 911) if severe chest pain, severe difficulty breathing, absent breathing, and/or other symptoms of hemothorax occur.

Review Date: 10/16/2006
Reviewed By: J.A. Lee, M.D., Assistant Professor of Surgery, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.