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. 2019 Jul-Aug;36(4):356-359.
doi: 10.4103/lungindia.lungindia_225_18.

Medical thoracoscopic cryoevacuation: A novel technique to manage retained hemothorax

Arjun Srinivasan  1 , Mahadevan Sivaramakrishnan  1 , Vallandramam R Pattabhiraman  1 , V G Vinod  1
Affiliations

Medical thoracoscopic cryoevacuation: A novel technique to manage retained hemothorax

Arjun Srinivasan et al. Lung India. 2019 Jul-Aug.

Abstract

Hemothorax is an important complication of blunt trauma chest. The presentation may be delayed, especially in elderly patients with multiple rib fractures. Delayed presentation can be associated with retained hemothorax where a simple chest drain is often insufficient to evacuate the pleural cavity. Video-assisted thoracoscopy surgery is often used to manage such patients in a minimally invasive manner. Here, we demonstrate a novel application of flexi-rigid thoracoscopy with CryoProbe® for evacuation of retained hemothorax in an elderly woman through a subcentimeter incision.

Keywords: Blunt trauma chest; cryoextraction; medical thoracoscopy; retained hemothorax.

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Conflict of interest statement

None

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
(a) Massive right-sided pleural effusion. (b) Computed tomography showing retained hemothorax in the posterior aspect
Figure 2
Figure 2
(a) Large densely adherent retained hemothorax. (b) Cryoextraction of retained hemothorax
Figure 3
Figure 3
(a) Extracted clots. (b) Thoracoscopic view postextraction of retained hemothorax
Figure 4
Figure 4
Postprocedure after chest drain removal
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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