Spontaneous hemopneumothorax in a 16-year-old-boy: a case report

Abstract

Spontaneous hemopneumothorax is a highly serious disease that appears as a complication of spontaneous pneumothorax and is at greater risk of developing in male, young and smoker patients. Often, the patient presents respiratory symptoms such as dyspnea, fatigue and chest pain, as well as changes in the physical lung examination and signs of hemodynamic instability, with chest radiography being one of the main tests in the initial evaluation. As there is no established clinical protocol, the therapeutic issue is still an area of debate. This article presents the case of a 16-year-old male patient who reported intense chest pain without triggering factors. He appeared hypocolored, with altered lung auscultation in the left hemithorax and cardiovascular parameters within normal limits, when he was diagnosed through chest radiography with massive hydropneumothorax in the left hemithorax. The patient then developed clinical changes indicative of hypovolemic shock. Management consisted of chest drainage, followed by bullectomy and abrasive pleurodesis via videothoracoscopy (VATS), progressing without complications