2021 Volume 35 Issue 2 Pages 116-121
We examined 15 cases of spontaneous hemopneumothorax that we encountered at our hospital from April 2006 to December 2018. The average time from diagnosis to surgery was 28.3 hours (2-87 hours). The surgical approaches were thoracoscopically assisted in 13 cases, combined with a small thoracotomy and 3 PORT thoracoscopic procedure in 2 cases. In all cases, the bleeding site was from the cord containing the blood vessels of the pleural wall of top of the chest cavity, and the average total bleeding volume from pre- to intraoperative periods was 1,298 mL (200-2,670 mL). Blood transfusion was required in 4 cases, with 2 involving symptoms of shock before the surgery. The chest drain was removed at an average of 3.1 days (2-7 days) postoperatively, and the average postoperative period was 5.4 days (3-8 days). In 5 cases, multiple bleeding sites were confirmed, and detailed observation inside the chest cavity was important. Spontaneous hemopneumothorax is associated with a high risk of hemorrhagic shock and is considered an indication for emergency surgery, and detailed intrathoracic observation is important.
