Traumatic pneumatocoele is an uncommon complication, resulting from air trapping in an area of lung laceration, and may appear a few hours or even immediately after injury. Young adults and children are most commonly affected. Its clinical relevance lies in its rarity, which might mislead emergency physicians to perform unnecessary surgical intervention. We report a 10-year-old boy suffering from traumatic pneumatocoele with spleen laceration caused by blunt trauma. It is important for emergency physicians to be aware of this condition and of its benign course so as to avoid unnecessary operative procedures due to incorrect diagnosis.
CelikB., BasogluA.Posttraumatic pulmonary pseudocyst: a rare complication of blunt chest trauma. Thorac Cardiovasc Surg2006; 54(6): 433–5.
4.
MooreF.A., MooreE.E., HaenelJ.B., WaringB.J., ParsonsP.E.Post-traumatic pulmonary pseudocyst in the adult: pathophysiology, recognition, and selective management. J Trauma1989; 29(10): 1380–5.
5.
MelloniG., CremonaG., CiriacoP., PanseraM., CarrettaA., NegriG.Diagnosis and treatment of traumatic pulmonary pseudocysts. J Trauma2003; 54(4): 737–43.
6.
Van HoorebekeE., JorensP.G., WojciechowskiM., SalgadoR., DesagerK., Van SchilP.An unusual case of traumatic pneumatocele in a nine-year-old girl: a bronchial tear with clear bronchial laceration. Pediatr Pulmonol2009; 44(8): 826–8.
7.
SchimplG., SchneiderU.Traumatic pneumatoceles in an infant: case report and review of the literature. Eur J Pediatr Surg1996; 6(2): 104–6.
