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Chest and abdomen multi-trauma

Case contributed by RMH Core Conditions
Diagnosis certain

Presentation

Pedestrian vs car.

Patient Data

Age: 30 years
Gender: Male

Chest

ct

No evidence of traumatic aortic injury. No mediastinal hematoma. Extensive right pulmonary contusions with associated traumatic pneumatoceles and a hemopneumothorax. The pneumothorax component is very small. Less severe pulmonary contusions are also present within the left lower lobe. Multiple overlying depressed right rib fractures (1st - 9th) with subcutaneous emphysema. Comminuted right scapula and midshaft right clavicle fractures. No sternal fracture. A tiny amount of gas is seen anterior to segment 4 of the liver. No other subdiaphragmatic gas evident.  

Abdomen/Pelvis

ct

Within the lower pole of the right kidney there is a laceration with adjacent hematoma. Within the hematoma, there is a 5mm hyperdensity that is suspicious for active extravasation of contrast. There is a laceration in the superior aspect of segment VII/VIII of the liver with no evidence of active contrast extravasation. There is stranding and fluid along the inferior margin of the spleen with no definite laceration seen. The proximal jejunum is mildly thick walled without any other evidence of injury. No free intraperitoneal gas. A tiny amount of gas is seen anterior to segment 4 of the liver, its location and source unclear. No other subdiaphragmatic gas evident.  

Left L1 and L2 transverse process fractures. There is a fracture line running through the left sacral ala with a fragment displaced into and slightly narrowing the left S1 neural exit foramen. The fracture line runs inferiorly through the left S2 and S3 neural exit foramen. There may be a contrast blush just inferior to the superior gluteal branch of the internal iliac vein. A further contrast blush may be adjacent to the right iliac wing in the insertion of the right gluteus medius. There are right superior and inferior pubic rami fractures with associated hematoma.

Case Discussion

This cases demonstrates predominantly right sided injuries:

The patient proceeded to angiography, where they a successful embolization of posterior sectoral branch hepatic artery for active contrast extravasation, suspicious for bleeding. A few days later the pelvic fractures with internally fixated. 

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