Pulmonary hematoma

A pulmonary hematoma is a collection of blood within the tissue of the lung. It may result when a pulmonary laceration fills with blood. A lung laceration filled with air is called a pneumatocele. In some cases, both pneumatoceles and hematomas exist in the same injured lung.cite journal |author=Gavelli G, Canini R, Bertaccini P, Battista G, Bnà C, Fattori R |title=Traumatic injuries: imaging of thoracic injuries |journal=European Radiology |volume=12 |issue=6 |pages=1273–1294 |year=2002 |month=June |pmid=12042932 |doi=10.1007/s00330-002-1439-6 |url=] Pulmonary hematomas take longer to heal than simple pneumatoceles and commonly leave the lungs scarred.cite book |author=White C, Stern EJ |title=Chest Radiology Companion |publisher=Lippincott Williams & Wilkins |location=Hagerstown, MD |year=1999 |pages=80, 176 |isbn=0-397-51732-7 |oclc= |doi= |accessdate=2008-04-30 |url=http://books.google.com/books?id=keNyAl8AArUC&pg=PA176&dq=pulmonary+laceration&lr=&client=firefox-a&sig=wvrEbz3w48sBnRaXtSxF9E6DwzM#PPA80,M1] A pulmonary contusion is another cause of bleeding within the lung tissue, but these result from microhemorrhages, multiple small bleeds, and the bleeding is not a discrete mass but rather occurs in with the lung tissue. An indication of more severe damage to the lung than pulmonary contusion, a hematoma also takes longer to clear.cite book |chapter=Trauma to the chest wall and lung|author = Livingston DH, Hauser CJ |title=Trauma. Fifth Edition |editor=Moore EE, Feliciano DV, Mattox KL |year= 2003 |publisher= McGraw-Hill Professional | isbn= 0071370692 | accessdate=2008-06-30 |pages=525–528] Unlike contusions, hematomas do not usually interfere with gas exchange in the lung, but they do increase the risk of infection and abscess formation.cite journal |author=Miller DL, Mansour KA |title=Blunt traumatic lung injuries |journal=Thoracic Surgery Clinics |volume=17 |issue=1 |pages=57–61 |year=2007 |pmid=17650697 |doi= 10.1016/j.thorsurg.2007.03.017 ]

References