We propose the use of a pulsatile high-speed irrigation device during video-assisted thoracoscopy for retained, in part coagulated hemothorax. Blood clots and membranes adhering to intrathoracic structures are easily removed by the water jet without damaging underlying structures. The efficient dilution of the sticky retained blood and the fragmented coagula enable their quick removal over a su...

We evaluated the safety and stability of the less-invasive submuscular bar fixation method in the Nuss procedure. One hundred and thirteen patients undergoing the Nuss procedure were divided into three groups according to the bar fixation technique employed. Group 1 consisted of 25 patients who had undergone bilateral pericostal bar fixation, group 2 consisted of 39 patients with unilateral per...

Angiosarcoma is a rare but highly malignant tumor arising from vascular endothelial cells. Angiosarcoma commonly arises from the heart, liver, breast, and skin including the scalp. Angiosarcoma metastasizing to the lungs can present as either pneumothorax, hemothorax, or pleural effusions. They can rarely present as rapidly enlarging thin-walled pulmonary cysts. A review of the literature is in...

Patients with malignant mesothelioma may present with hemothorax. We used a combination of oral and intrapleural tranexamic acid to treat two patients with this severe complication. Initiation of treatment with this potent anti-fibrinolytic drug resulted in rapid reduction of bleeding and of transfusion requirements.

Vascular involvement in neurofibromatosis type 1 is rare but has the potential to be fatal. We report a case of a patient with spontaneous rupture of a left intercostal artery aneurysm, which presented as a massive left hemothorax and was successfully treated by transarterial coil embolization.

A male patient underwent lobectomy and partial pleurectomy for non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). After 30 days, chest computed tomography discovered a hemothorax secondary to an intercostal artery leakage (Fig. 1). A thoracic aorta angiography revealed an intercostal pseudo-aneurysm treated successfully with embolization (Fig. 2(A) and (B)). We performed a successful thoracoscopic debridement.

Lung herniation is a rare event that can occur spontaneously or traumatically. Thoracic hernias are usually associated with a chest-wall defect. We report a case of thoracic lung hernia that occurred 2 days after traumatic cardiopulmonary resuscitation, after the formation of a large hemothorax.