After blunt chest injuries, extrapleural hematoma may result in a collection of blood between the parietal pleura and the endothoracic fascia. Extrapleural hematoma is frequently misdiagnosed as hemothorax. Extrapleural fat sign, the inward displacement of strip of extrapleural fat on computed tomography, is typical radiological findings of extrapleural hematoma. We encountered a case of extrapleural hematoma with a presentation similar to hemothorax after blunt chest injury.

A 48-year-old man came to the emergency department with altered consciousness and hemoperitoneum following a pedestrian traffic accident. He underwent immediate emergency laparotomy, and on the second day, he required craniectomy because of increase of intracranial hemorrhage. A chest radiograph taken 7 days after admission, showed elevation of the right hemi-diaphragm, and follow-up chest CT showed a right-sided rupture of the diaphragm, which was surgically repaired. Rupture of the diaphragm can be easily overlooked and the diagnosis delayed, especially in unstable patients with multiple trauma or altered level of consciousness, as in the case reported here. [ J Trauma Inj 2017; 30: 16-20 ]

Penetrated injury of common carotid artery (CCA) is rare and extremely lethal. Carotid artery injury tends to bleed actively and potentially occlude the trachea. It can cause fatal neurological complications. An accurate diagnosis and adequate treatment are very needed to the successful outcome of the penetrating vascular injury in zone 1, 2, and 3 of the neck. Open surgical treatment is more invasive and complicated than endovascular treatment. We experienced a case with penetrating injury in neck zone 2. Here, we report the case successfully treated with endovascular stent graft technique. [ J Trauma Inj 2016; 29: 172-175 ]