Pulmonary artery pseudoaneurysm secondary to gun shot wound

Case contributed by Stefan Tigges
Diagnosis certain

Presentation

Gunshot wound right chest.

Patient Data

Age: 25 years.
Gender: Male

Presenting Chest X-ray

x-ray

Right thoracostomy tube appropriately positioned, paper clips mark gunshot entrance/exit wounds. Consolidation right lung represents pulmonary contusion/laceration. Small right hemothorax, no pneumothorax.

Right pulmonary bullet track with lobulated right pulmonary artery pseudoaneurysm. Right chest tube, small right hemo/pneumothorax. Right pulmonary contusion and atelectasis.

Chest X-ray 2 days later

x-ray

Worsening opacity right lung, likely worsening contusion/hemorrhage.

Angiogram 2 days after GSW

dsa

Large bilobed right pulmonary artery pseudoaneurysm.

Chest X-ray after embolization

x-ray

Multiple embolism coils right pulmonary artery, resolving right pulmonary laceration/contusion.

Case Discussion

Gunshot wounds to the lung most frequently result in pulmonary contusions and lacerations, but vascular injuries such as vessel tears, vessel occlusion, arteriovenous fistula formation, and, as in this case, pseudoaneurysm formation may occur. This pseudoaneurysm was successfully embolized.

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