Abstract
We report the findings in a 75-year-old woman who was given diagnosis of rupture of the internal thoracic artery (ITA) and was successfully treated by coil embolization. The patient suddenly felt chest pain, and a chest CT revealed a mediastinal hematoma. She was suspected to have an acute aortic dissection, and therefore transferred to our hospital. Upon careful examination, a CT showed a hematoma in the superior mediastunum and the extravasation of the left internal thoracic artery. Emergency coil embolization was thus performed to stop the bleeding. After the embolization, no further hemorrhaging was observed. The patient was uneventfully discharged in a healthy state 2 weeks later. Rupture of the internal thoracic artery is rare. However, it is important to include this potential disease in the differential diagnosis when encountering a patient presenting with an atraumatic mediastinal hematoma.
