Spontaneous Atraumatic Posterior Mediastinal Hemorrhage: A Rare Case Report and Review of Literature

We are reporting a rare case of spontaneous atraumatic mediastinal hematoma in a previously apparently healthy middle aged female who presented with acute onset dysphagia, increasing neck swelling and spontaneous neck and chest bruising. Plain chest radiograph showed widening of the mediastinum. Contrast CT scan of neck and chest revealed a soft tissue swelling in retropharyngeal space causing esophageal compression anteriorly confirming the diagnosis of Posterior Mediastinal Hemorrhage. There are only few cases of posterior mediastinal hemorrhage reported in the literature. The etiology remains uncertain and the treatment modalities can be classified into 2 broad categories: conservative and operative management. We present this rare condition and its management discussed.