We report two cases who presented with respiratory distress after trauma that were treated for a left-sided haemopneumothrax. These were finally diagnosed as giant diaphragmatic hernias. The diagnostic difficulties and complications arising out of a wrong diagnosis are discussed. [Indian J Chest Dis Allied Sci 2012;54:259-261]

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An adult male presented to the emergency department complaining of two days of exertional shortness of breath and progressive chest pain. He was afebrile with a blood pressure of 135/88 mmHg, heart rate of 105 beats/minute, respiratory rate of 22 breaths/minute, and a SaO2 of 94% on room air. There was no history of preceding trauma, surgery or known congenital defects. A chest radiograph demon...

Introduction Trauma is one of the leading causes of mortality worldwide, resulting in a great global burden of disability and mortality [1,2]. Approximately half of all trauma deaths occur during the first hours due to traumatic brain injury or massive bleeding. Later deaths are due to, for example, sepsis or multiple organ failure [3]. Independent risk factors for post-injury sepsis are still ...

Percutaneous tracheostomy (PCT) is a safe method under proper patient selection, increased technical experience and bronchoscopy- or ultrasound-guided procedure. Trauma patients with cervical spine fractures and spinal cord injury are at a high risk for respiratory failure and require a definitive airway followed by prolonged mechanical ventilation. We would like to present multiple, life- thre...

Epidemiologically, the use of a ventilator and the virulence of causative bacteria link VAP to the host and the duration of respiratory management. Risk factors include long-term respiratory management with a ventilator, re-intubation, administration of antibacterial agents before the onset of pneumonia, primary disease (burns, trauma, central nervous system diseases, respiratory diseases, and ...

Heterotopic ossification (HO), deposition of para-articular ectopic bone, is associated with musculoskeletal trauma and certain congenital and metabolic disorders. Additionally, HO may follow paralysis from diverse traumatic and nontraumatic neurologic insults. We describe three cases of HO associated with catastrophic nontraumatic respiratory illness requiring prolonged chemical paralysis and ...

We present two cases of patients with a past history of alcohol abuse admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for treatment of respiratory problems, after multiple trauma and after sub-total colectomy, respectively. In both patients, features of alcohol withdrawal were prominent after sedation had been discontinued. Both were treated successfully with an infusion of clonidine.

Pediatric airway surgery presents many significant challenges to the anesthesia provider. The clinical experience of the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary serves as a guide in this review to describe the clinical reasoning and perioperative management of the pediatric patient needing airway surgery, with specific emphasis on diagnostic procedures, trauma, laryngotracheal reconstruction, juven...