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An Unanticipated Diagnosis in a Child with Blunt Chest Trauma

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: A 13-year-old girl presented 20 days after blunt chest trauma with persistent hemopneumothorax despite intercostal drainage (ICD). Imaging revealed a large peripherally enhancing lesion in the right chest with a third rib fracture, raising suspicion of retained hemothorax. She underwent thoracotomy and decortication, and histopathology identified a malignant mesenchymal neoplasm with pulmonary metastasis. This case highlights the importance of considering malignancy in trauma patients whose clinical course deviates from expectations and demonstrates the diagnostic value of early advanced imaging and surgical exploration.

Source: Cureus

DOI: 10.7759/cureus.96066

Authors: Sri Hari Babu Sunkari, Nilesh Jagne, Soumya Ghoshal, Mahendra Chauhan

Institution: All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Nagpur

Language: English

Topic: Trauma Management and Diagnosis

Subfield: Surgery

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: diamond

OpenAlex ID: W4415870516